The Power of Love
by Phenny
Summary: What happens when Booth is forced to go to Middle East? B&B eventually, no spoilers, will get really angsty, dramatic, heart-tearing-apart, will make you knock your head on the wall! Later chapters ONLY for mature readers, cause it may terrify your soul..
1. Chapter 1

**Friend of the author's note:** Okay so, hello everyone! This is a story of a good friend of mine- non native English speaker just like myself, so forgive her and my mistakes. She is a little afraid of viewers' reactions, as she always prefers dramas and angsty situations, where everyone gets hurt and there is always trouble in the characters' lives; and it can get very graphic! I myself can't bare the drama in stories, as my life has enough drama on its own- However I read her story and I liked it very much, so I've decided to put it here on the world of fanfiction------ Any kinds of reviews are always welcomed, **rating** is on **K+** but eventually **will change** due to contents in later chapters. The story is already finished, so the update can and will be very frequent and fast. And yes, **I DONNOT OWN** the show, the characters, and whatever else comes in connection with it. **DONT SUE**, I'm just a poor student.

Chapter 1

The tall, dark and handsome former sniper and now FBI Agent, Seeley Booth, sat at his desk, weary and totally bored. His hands crossed behind his head. As always, he wore FBI standard-clothing: discreet dark suit, white business shirt, narrow black tie. This time he had refrained from wearing an outlandish tie and his conspicuous 'cocky' belt buckle. He had been condemned to take care of his paper-work. For hours he had processed one file after the other, time moved agonizingly slow. -

Normally he is more the man of action, but his boss had been very clearly in his instructions. Before a new case appears, he had to work on the paper-work and reports from his last cases. He wasn't accustomed to sitting behind his desk for so long and after sitting in one position for hours, his back and neck muscles had begun to ache and tighten, he stretched his long body like a cat after a long nap and rolled his shoulders to try and realise some of the pressure. He was thinking of his "Bones", Dr. Temperance Brennan, the brilliant, brittle and sometimes socially challenged Forensic Anthropologist and bestselling author. "Was she also bored?" Booth even wondered, "No, I`m sure not, she definitely had a lot of fun with her bones." Actually the laboratory was her real home. -

Since two weeks ago, they hadn't worked together as recently there had been no cases that would have required the expertise of the anthropologist. Booth missed his partner, 'his Bones', immediately a mental picture appeared, her soft, shiny maroon hair framed her perfectly proportioned face. Added by beautiful azure of her blue eyes, which were the most expressive and beaming eyes he had ever seen. Until now, he hadn`t never met a woman, who had her beauty, intelligence and personality. Okay over the last two weeks, they had attended the therapy-sessions with Dr. Sweets, the strange and sometimes annoying but nevertheless brilliant psychologist. Now and then, the agent also met with his Bones for breakfast or dinner at their favourite diner. But this wasn`t the same as if they work together the whole day. The best crime-fighting team, Bones had made him one of the most successful FBI agents with an almost 100% of crime solving rate. -

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Deputy Director Cullen just signed a few papers, when he heard a knock on his door. Cullen answered with a short "Come in", when a man in uniform entered his office. Immediately a bad feeling washed over him. In a command-accustomed voice, the foreigner introduced himself: "My name is Major Davies I am from the Pentagon with an official inquiry concerning one of your agents, Seeley Booth. He has to execute a mission for us in the Middle East." -

Without offering him a seat, Cullen answered irritated: "He has to? Who do you think you are bursting in here and giving commands?" "Hear me, Cullen, I must not have to remind you, that we were the ones, who brought him to Quantico. ", Davies replied indignant. "Agent Booth now works for the FBI, no longer for the military and it nevertheless should be his free decision!" Cullen countered in a fierce voice. -

"No, I think we have to go over this. So, listen! Officially he trains recruits for snipers, unofficially he should eliminate a few objects." Davies had told him arrogantly. Cullen couldn`t endure such arrogant upstarts, that made her decisions from the desk. With petrified face he grasped the telephone to ask his agent to come to his office. Booth had almost become something like a son for him after the death of his daughter. By no means, he wanted to send one of his best agents into the almost certain death. But what option did he have? -


	2. Chapter 2

From his window the FBI agent could see, it had begun to rain, this didn`t exactly improve his mood. It was November, one week before Thanksgiving, it had become cold and soon the rain would change into snow and wrap whole Washington D.C. in a soft white blanket. With such weather, his old war-injuries always made themselves noticeable. The bones in his feet, once broken with force, caused him a lot of pain again. The analgesics, he was taking, seemed to miss their effect today totally. -

Frustrated Booth threw the pen on his desk and rubbed the fatigue eyes. What he needed now was a big cup of coffee. That strong brew would expel his tiredness from the bones. "What a perfect mixture", he thought, "exactly what I need." Cam had explained to him that caffeine reinforced the effect of the analgesic it acted like a doping then. Sighing he discharged some air. As he got up, he winced and bit himself on the lips. The pain from his feet reached his brain in a fraction of seconds like a high-speed-projectile. He went to the kitchen more or less limping. Thank God, none of the other agents were in the hall and otherwise there would be questions he didn't feel like answering. He never talked with anyone about it as he believed it should remain in the past. Only his boss knew it, this was from his file, but..., he didn`t bring the thought to an end. -

Just as the agent just began to walk back his way, balancing his coffee-cup in one hand, he suddenly heard a well known voice from behind him: "Cherie!" Jumping, and then wincing at the pain that shot from his feet, he almost poured the hot coffee over himself. "Miss Julian!" how in the world had she managed to sneak along and pounce on him, he wondered surprised. Did he become approximately careless? "Cherie, I must talk to you later!" the energetic prosecuting attorney called to him. "Hello, Caroline! Okay", Booth felt somehow caught. In her present he always felt like a little boy. Promptly she asked him the question, he wanted to dodge: "What happened with your feet, Seeley?" "Nothing, I sprained my ankle yesterday, when I played with Parker…" he lied. "Seeley Booth, I know when I hear a lie!" the resolute woman interrupted him immediately. Booth put on his most charming boyish smile and replied: "How can I lie to you, Caroline!" "We will speak about this later, Cherie!" she called after

him. -

Back at his desk he sank again into the dull brooding, paper work and the back ache that accompanied it. Unexpected the telephone rang and he jumped. He was day dreaming, a day dream which was devoted to his partner. With a gaze, he determined that the telephone call came from within the building. "Maybe a new case?" he thought, all at once wide-awake, before he answered with a short "Booth". "Cullen. Agent Booth, would you please come into my office?" he heard the voice at the other end of the line. The agent wrinkled his forehead. "Ah, ah, that doesn`t sound good at all, what did I do wrong this time…?" he wondered. -

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Normally there was nothing more important in the life of Dr. Temperance Brennan than bones. It was her occupation and her vocation. Nevertheless, she was bored to death for almost two weeks. "That is only Booth`s fault!" she said. She had become used to them solving cases together and her priorities had shifted. Since some years ago, she'd had started to prefer the adventure and danger before the safe security of the laboratory. Booth and their never ending "disagreements and bickering", that they vociferously discussed in all public, like a long married pair, she was also missing. As well, she missed their common visits to Wong Fu`s or the Diner or when he stopped by her home with a load of Thai meals late in the evening, in order to discuss another couple of details of the case or paper-work with her. -

Previously she never had thought that it would gain so much importance for her. But she had been longing for their field work, even if she got frequently more in danger through it and gave her partner the opportunity to act as her protector. To be honest to herself it even pleased her when he thought he had to guard her. Somehow it was a lot of fun for her and both had grown together to an unbeatable team in the years. Her partner already knew her so well she sometimes thought he could read her thoughts as he owned the exceptional gift of read people like an open book. -

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The agent finished the conversation with a scarce "Yes, Sir!" Laboriously he rose, directed his tie to the centre of his shirt and slipped into his suit jacket, that hung over the chair-rest. With the jacket he also covered his weapon on the left side of his hip. Then he walked the long way to Cullen`s office and tried to ignore the pains. After he had knocked and been told to come in, he entered Cullen's office.

Immediately his gaze fell on a man in uniform that silently stood there with a file in his hand. In the face of his boss, he read that the present of the military did not suit him. On Booth`s forehead a steep pleat originated as he pulled his eyebrows together. Immediately he sensed that this indicated nothing good for him. -

With a fake smile, Booth was greeted by Major Davies. With that he called him with his former echelon: "Ah Sergeant Booth, nice to see you!" "Excuse me Major, but I am no longer in the army. Agent Booth is completely enough." Booth returned icy. "Well, if you think…that is for you!" Davies answered arrogantly and handed the FBI agent a letter that bore the sender of the Pentagon. -

With a weak feeling in his stomach, Booth opened the envelope and quickly scanned the lines. His posture betrayed his thoughts that raged through his mind in the moment: "No, that could be not. Not again!" Immediately he saw all the faces before his inner eyes of those people whose lives he had ended. "Do you have a problem with it?" Davies wanted to know snooty. Booth admittedly held a lot of duty and responsibility, but he certainly had a problem with killing other people. "No. Of course not. I am absolutely consciously about my duty!" Booth answered instead. -

Nevertheless, he could not hide a lightly insecurity in his voice. His face showed all his emotions. The agent was a man of honour and he have to serve his country. "When?" shortly asked. "We will pick you up tomorrow morning at 5.30 o`clock!" Davies answered. "Early tomorrow morning already!" shot through his head. The time remained was damned few, he had still something to regularise. "Bones!" was his first thought, "how do I say it Bones?" "I will be ready!" he explained with reserved voice. He left the room without greeting. -


	3. Chapter 3

**Friend of the author's note: **_Heyja all! First off all, thank you for the reviews, you're soupercalifragilisticexpialidocious! My friend is so happy! You literally make her day! And she hope deeply from her heart that you will continue read the story, when the tearing-your-heart-apart parts come; there might be a little grossness too. Secondly, I realized that the first 2 chapters I post were small; please bare with me, I still am a fanfiction dummy! I still don't know how these things work. I thought they would have been big, but anyway… This chapter is as big as the other 2, but still small but believe me there was no other way to do this. So, have a little patience my friends! _

_**And NO NO NO NO NO NO NO, I DUNNOT ONW THEM**_

Chapter 3

Once Booth had left the office of Cullen, Davies supposed: "He seems to be less motivated." "Were you already once there?" Cullen threw in. "No I never had the honour, because…" Davies began to speak. Cullen interrupted him brusquely: "I do not believe that it is an honour. It is never easy to kill a human being, besides it wasn`t a walk for Agent Booth last time." "I do not understand what you are meaning, Cullen!" the Major answered him gruffly. "How should you understand that? Have you ever been fallen into the hands of the enemy? Surely not." answered Cullen the question himself, "how should you know?" The realization stroke Davies like a hit into the face. Pale and spluttering he replied: "I am sorry, I…I didn`t knew…" "You should be sorry for him. You truly haven`t no idea what really happens out there if you only spend the whole time behind your desk." Cullen said. -

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Dazed Booth returned back into his office, where he heavily felt in his chair. Suddenly his pains were gone. That he did not forget about something important, he pulled up his notepad and wrote down what he still had to take care of. At first position he wrote down: Informing Bones, followed by packing a duffle bag, calling Mom, she has invited him to Thanksgiving but now he could forget about that. However he wanted to take Bones with him…Very well, at least he could avoid some escalating confrontations with his younger brother. - Parker - Parker, he wouldn`t be able to see Parker. That hurts. Rebecca and his son were not in the city. The disappointment would be huge for his son, if he could not spend Christmas with his father this time. "Maybe he never would be able to spend Christmas with his father again." considered Booth sorrowfully. -

His other issues, like his testament, had been regulated already long time ago. The agent dispelled the depressive thoughts he actually needed a clear head to be able to use the short time meaningfully. His boss entered the office quietly: "Of course you can go home, Seeley. I am sorry. I know that…." Booth lifted the hand in order to shut him silence. It was disrespectful of him and otherwise it wasn`t his manner to interrupt his boss, but he didn`t want to hear it. He wanted to be alone, he had to think. Some time latter he left the FBI building. -

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Brennan pulled on one of her blue laboratory-frocks over her dark skirt with the cream blouse and tied up her hair into a ponytail. On her neck she wore as every time a showy piece of jewellery with matching earrings. Then she began to take out bones from a plastic-box. Carefully she put bone to bone on the long shiny nobly-steel-table until a she originated a complete skeleton again, with it she spoke into her dictate-appliance: "Male, approximately 20-25 years old…" –

Suddenly her cell phone rang. On the display she could see "Booth". She answered with a relieved sighing. If he called her now, there was certainly to do something more interesting than to dig in old bones. Even before she could say something, she heard his question: "Can we meet?" "Do we have a case?" she counter-questioned." "No." was Booth short answer. By his depressed tone she immediately noticed that something absolutely wasn`t in order. His otherwise solid and confident voice was quiet and hoarse. "When and where?" she only wanted to know. "If it is okay for you immediately at my home." her partner replied rough. "Okay, I will set off at once!" she promised and finished the conversation. -

Troubled she wondered: "What was so important that he didn`t wanted to talk at the telephone about it?" Never before it had occurred that he asked her to his home. A bad feeling spread inside her, something had to be happened. Too late it stroke her that the car was in the garage for repairing. "Then I will just take a cab", she promptly decided. -


	4. Chapter 4

**Friend of the author's note: **Heyja all!!! Thank you all so so so much for the reviews!!! You welcomed the story so warm and wonderful! Something was wrong with the uploading the chapter, apparently the document manager was unavailable... And later I had no internet connection, so I'm sorry that I didn't update it earlier! No, wait... You should feel sorry for me! Seriously, I feel like sending an bomb to my internet provider!!!.... Anyway, before that happens, here the next chapter! I hope you like it!

Chapter 4

Half an hour later, Brennan knocked at the door of Booth`s apartment. "Moment, coming!" she heard him calling. Barely one minute later had the door opened by him. Her partner seems like he straight came out of the shower, his dark hair was wet and water-drops glistening on his bare upper part of his body, dressed only with a pair of dark boxer-shorts. Brennan`s heart jumped. Pretty naked she never saw him before. The sight was breathtaking. With the testing gaze of an anthropologist, she studied his physique. Tall, broad shoulders, a narrow waistline, narrow hips and a muscular trained upper body. She caught herself that she wanted to stretch out her hand in order to touch him. In the same moment she blushed lightly. Embarrassed she turned away her gaze and looked at her shoes. The FBI agent seemed not to have perceived the scrutiny at all. -

Tonelessly he said as he released the door: "Come in and make yourself comfortable, something to drink is in the refrigerator. I am instantly back." His breath smelled of alcohol. "Had he be drinking?" Brennan was wondering. After he turned around in order to go back into the bathroom her glance fell on his back. For the first time she noticed the fine brighter lines that covered his tanned back. "Scars", she thought dismayed. Up to now she only knew about his feet when she illegally studied his x-rays. Thus far his hints had been only vague. Way back then when they freed him from the claws of Gallagher, he had told her tersely that he had been already tortured more badly. By far it seemed her partner had undergone more terrifying things as she had assumed. -

Booth left the bathroom, now gray sweatpants deeply hanging on his hips he wore a tight olive T-shirt that stressed his body. As he unconsciously prowled through his hair, his T-shirt slid upward and she snatched a gaze on a few dark hairs looking over the hem of his pants. -

The pale face looked like petrified. The normally mild and glistening chocolate-brown eyes were empty and reddened. There was no charming smile on his face and no happy "Bones" came over his lips, never before she had seen him with such an expression. Despite his size he looked helplessly and vulnerably. He was a shadow of himself. "What had shattered the normally strong and assertive FBI agent? Brennan wondered. -

"Did something happen with Parker?" she asked horrified. Booth shook his head, reached out to a full glass of Vodka that stood on the table and emptied it in one gulp. In the case the bottle had been full before he already consumed a lot of it. "Thanks for coming!" he answered with reserved voice and dropped himself beside her on the sofa. So close their bodies touched. His head was lowered and his hands lay crossed, one in another in his lap. -

"If you get drunk pointlessly, that is no solution for what ever problems you have!" reprehended she her partner. "Booth, what happened?" Look at me!" she took his head into her palms and saw in his weep-filled eyes. Abhorrence and disgust mirrored in them. Booth searched for the right words. He deeply fetched for air. "They…they send me back!" explained he with brittle voice. "Back? Back where?" the anthropologist asked. -

All at once it felt like sheds from her eyes. Now Brennan noticed the carefully ironed camouflage-coloured shirt that hung on a clip. Without any insignias of his echelon, only the name was resplendent on the forefront, a duffle-bag and a pair of boots beside it. "No that can`t be!" was her first thought. Found she said: "No, they can`t do. Can they demand you for that?" "I work for the government. It is my duty", Booth quietly answered her question. "Why exactly you, do they have nobody else?" she burst out. Without pride he replied: "They need somebody with experience and who knows the terrain. It seems like I am still their first option." -

"Is it dangerous? Can you…can you be kill…can something happen to you?" Temperance wanted to know. Booth didn`t answer the question right away. This time he looked directly at her, he questioned that somebody look into these clear eyes and could lie – and he couldn`t imagine that a man saw these eyes without falling in love with this woman at once. After a short pause he gave her the answer: "Well officially I should train a few recruits, unofficially I…" he faltered and joined hesitantly, "…shall kill a few people. Is it dangerous? Sure, you can be killed there each time. I am not afraid of dying but you know I hate to kill even more people." -

"I am sorry for you. But I am afraid you won't come…back." Brennan stammered. In order to contribute him comfort, she took him into her arms just like he always did it normally. Today it was her duty. The agent put his head at her shoulder and she stroke through his short dark hair. Deeply she inhaled the fragrance of his spicy shower gel on his skin and in his clean washed hair. She also could smell under this fragrance the very own aroma of him that somehow aroused her. Dark beard-shadows covered his unshaven prominent chin what lent him a wild expression. Brennan`s thoughts digressed, she lightly shook her head and called herself to sanity: "What´s wrong with you today Brennan! Stop it, he is your partner!" -

Temperance cleared her throat and asked with scratchy voice: "When do you leave? "Early tomorrow morning." He gave her a regretful answer. "Already so soon!" escaped her horrified, "how long will you stay away?" "A few weeks, maybe months, I don`t know precisely. It depends on it how quickly I can execute my order." her partner informed her. "So long? What will happen to me? What, what should I do without you, Booth?" Brennan wanted to know. -

"They will assign you another agent for this time, with who you will work together." he informed her. "What?!" she screamed dismayed, "I definitely will not work together with somebody else besides you. When you're not here, I will just use the time for identification of the remains stored in the Jeffersonian." "Bones don`t be silly. Besides the crimes will not stop only because I am out of the country. They need you, you know that. If you don't remember, you have obligated in written form that you will work together with the FBI. This doesn`t however automatically presuppose a cooperation with me, you know they can separate us at any time." Booth seriously admonished. -

"Then I will just quit! They will find the next outstanding forensic anthropologist in Montreal, I can search the address for them or even better they can Google it!" stubbornly Brennan gave to answer. "You're behaving like a defiant little child. Please don`t make it more difficult for me. Promise me that you are reasonable and don't make the life of the other agent hell." Booth asked cautiously. "Well I will behave decently even it would be difficult for me. I do it only for you." Brennan still consented rebelliously. "That`s my girl!", said Booth a small gentle smile played his lips. "I don`t want you to go!" she added promptly. "Please, Bones, you know I have no choice." he said almost pleading. –

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**Friend of the author's note: **_you all can imagine what comes neeeeeext... Rating will bump to M... Review, if you must :D_


	5. Chapter 5

**Friend of the author's note:** For those who can't wait any longer... Here are the next two chapters! Enjoy!!! .... Yes, I actually very much like it to tease you with the waiting! :D

Chapter 5

Later nobody knew how it had actually happened. On this evening, Seeley Booth overstepped his self enforced line. – "To the devil with that line!" he thought. With a deeply look in Brennan`s eyes, he said: "This is what I always wanted to do! If I don`t do it now, I maybe will never have the chance to do it." Admittedly he knew every day could be his last, his job simply entailed that but it was more likely to be killed on the mission than the daily profession life. "What do you always wanted to do?" Brennan asked astonished. "This!" the agent answered breathlessly. Without any resistance from Bones, he pulled her into his arms. He buried one hand in her dense reddish gleaming hair, the other lay on the small of her back. Softly his lips covered hers. As he felt no opposition he became more courageous, his kisses more passionate. His lips now completely pressed on hers, his tongue required entrance in her mouth. Brennan replied his kiss and their tongues fought their own fight. Like two drowning, they clung together, hungrily and desperate. Until they broke away gasping for air. -

Brennan`s hands drove over the bare skin under Booth`s T-shirt, she noticed, his hard muscles twitched under her touch and how his body reacted to her. Then she sensed his satin lips on her neck as they cleared their way downwards. Again and again his gaze looked for her approval before he continued. With his mouth he caressed lovingly the valley between her breasts. Brennan`s body was shivering and became more and more aroused. Through the fabric he cuddled her breasts. Immediately her nipples straightened up and began to emerge through the thin material of her light blouse. Each of his touches were electrifying. "We should look for a more comfortable place than the couch!" he whispered hoarsely and lifted her up like she was a feather. In his strong arms he carried her into his bedroom. There he let her down carefully on the king size bed. As soon as he switched on the lamp on the night table, the room emerged in a pleasant dimness and covered the body of Brennan like the mildly wings of an angel. -

Slowly and with pleasure Booth began to undress her. Brennan allowed him to do it. He took a lot of time doing it and he looked at her again and again, for her approval. First he unbuttoned the blouse and cautiously pulled it off her shoulders, than the skirt followed. She lifted her hips so that he could pull it downward. Next he easily un-clasped her lacy bra, he carefully embraced her bare breasts with his big hands and his mouth sucked in her lifted nipples. A moan escaped from her lips. At last his hands drove under the hem of her lacy panties and stroke through the soft hair. Before he wiped away the last garment, he tested the moisture between her tights with his long fingers. Experienced fingers touched her most sensitive spot. Again a quiet moan escaped from Brennan`s mouth. Full of desire his glance wandered over her long alabaster-coloured legs with the shapely thighs, the full breasts, flat belly…simply perfect. "You are beautiful!" he blurted with smoky voice. She sensed the heat radiated from his body. Brennan could feel his arousal as well as she could see it. -

After he laid himself beside her on the broad bed, he explored her body tenderly and thoroughly with his big rough hands. With a groan full of desire she stretched her body and bowed her back. His fingers were extremely skilful as he sent them the travelling between her thighs. Her body trembled and shook she could not keep her back any longer. Loudly she yelled his name when she reached her first climax. Just as adequately was his tongue once his head was between her legs and her hands clawed into his short hair. She enjoyed to be spoiled and he never looked for his own benefit. Never before had she felt like this although she could look back on plentiful experiences, she wasn`t exactly a virgin to sex, to good sex. Panting she asked him: "Where did you learn that? How do you know so much from the female anatomy?" Mysteriously he smiled: "I have many abilities, you don`t know." Booth was an extraordinary lover, she must admit. Brennan lost count of how often he brought her to orgasm before she could feel him inside her at all. -

Temperance didn`t wanted to beg, but she couldn`t wait any longer: "My God, Seeley, I want to feel you inside me!" "You don`t believe in God!" he answered challenging. With lithe movement he got up from the bed. Provocative slowly he slipped his clothing let it carelessly fall to the ground. Brennan`s gaze scrutinised over his bare body again. The sight presented to her, his perfectly modelled stature, pleased her very well. As her view ogled further downward she smiled. "Is something wrong?" Booth asked innocently. "Ah, nothing, nothing at all, everything is okay. I already thought that you are quite well equipped, but however that is not what I expected at all." Brennan admitted pleasantly surprised. As an answer he only smiled his charming typical Booth smile. -

She asked casually: "Where did you get this scars on your back?" The smile immediately was gone and his view shortly darkened before he answered: "Let us talk another time about it." In a split-second the pictures of his past ran before his inner eyes, the cruel interrogations, with the torture afterwards. He reckoned to feel the blows once again, the breaking of his bones…and all the other dreadful things they did to him. He neither talked about it, to his family nor to Rebecca, Cam or even his confessor. Maybe someday, when he was ready to it, he would tell Brennan about it but not now, not today. -

Booth sat down on the bed-edge fishing condom from the draw of the night stand. "That is not necessary, Seeley. I am on the pill and I trust you. Will you finally come now!" she asked him with desire in her eyes. He blushed lightly because of her directness. Willingly he complied with her invitation. Her hand in his dark hair, she pulled him down and led him. Cautiously he penetrated her first only with the top to get her accustomed to his size. "Is it okay for you? Do you really want it?" she should confirm it once again. Because of her arousal that grasped her body again, the only thing she could do was nodding. Like under an electric jolt her body vibrated and twitches as he plunged into her full length, filling her completely, like they were created for each other. She straightened her back and clawed her fingernails into his skin. With her long legs she embraced his body so that he could penetrate her even more deeply. -

Both moved in a perfect, increasing rhythm. She heard Booth`s moan and gasp while his lips played with her raised nipples and his thrusts came more and more quickly. For a moment they forgot the world around themselves while they coalesced together. None of them thought about tomorrow or what will come. There were only the two and they devoted their desire that they had kept back for so long. Again she yelled his name as she could not keep it back any longer and the wave of orgasm rinsed over her. A moment later she sensed Booth pouring into her. "That it is, when two people become one." Brennan thought, just like Booth had explained her once. It was the very first time she had ever perceived it this way. -

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As carefully and quietly like possible the agent rose from the bed, it wasn`t that simple because Brennan had put her arm around him in a possessing way. When he came of her grip, she muttered something and rotated on the other side. Booth didn`t made the effort to coat himself. Naked as he was he sneaked on the other side of the bed and looked at Brennan. She slept again deeply and firmly. Her hair lay extended like a fan around her head. Her face relaxed and even a smile around her lips, as if she would experience in her dream once again, what they did some hours before. He placed a tender kiss on her forehead. -

Some minutes later he stood under the shower. The agent shaved himself and slipped into his clothes. Examining he looked once again into the mirror. A man who was strange looked toward him, dim empty eyes and under it dark eye-rings. Hardly ready there was quiet knock on his door. Booth looked around like saying farewell, snatched his bag when he placed it and was gone. -


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Brennan woke up. Immediately she sensed the bed besides her was empty. The side where Booth had lain was already cold. An uncanny silence prevailed in the apartment. Brennan swung her long legs from the bed and looked around. He had gone without farewell. Thus she meant nothing to him. She felt exploited. Disappointment spread out in her and embraced her heart with iron hand. It hurts. Seemingly it had been only sex, however perfect sex, but meaningless. Out of a desperate situation, with alcohol included. Otherwise he would never have dared this step. Nevertheless they had fitted so perfectly together, as they were destined for each other. How could she be such a fool and could think Booth would be different, something special. -

"You damned bastard!" angrily the words came out of her mouth and reverberated loudly in the abandoned apartment. Temperance chased away the sombre thoughts, gathered her clothes and got dressed slowly. His smell still stuck on her. Although she was disappointed, she would preferably never wash herself again, in order to keep something of him. She entered his dining room and noticed a note-paper on the table. Booth had left her a message she read what he wrote in his expressive handwriting: "I am sorry; I could not do anything else! I would not have been able to go! Take the SUV. Will see you soon. B." He had drawn a smiley on the paper. Currently she regretted her angry thoughts. A small smile played around her lips, she took the keys lying beside and carefully put the paper into her bag. Then she left his apartment. –

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It hurt Booth in his soul that he had not said goodbye to Brennan. But he would not have bear to see in her blue bright eyes again. It would have torn him inside he would have be incapable to go. From a long time ago, he felt in love with her. However he didn`t know, whether she felt equally, he never said something about his feelings for his Bones. This time he had to lose so much more, Brennan and Parker. Ultimately they had slept together it had been very satisfactory and beautiful for both. Still he could not take it for granted that she loved him too. -

Automatically his thoughts drifted back to the last night, like he sensed her hands on his bare skin again. How long had he desired her? How long had he waited for this moment? Last night she gave him the permission to possess her. He still could feel her firm ass pressing against him, when he took her from behind. His hands free to caress her breasts, her clit… She trusted him and he also trusted her…"Where are your handcuffs, Seeley?" Brennan asked. "What do you want with handcuffs? Do you want me to chain you up at the bed?" he replied to her. "Do you trust me, Seeley?" she wanted to know. "Yes, of course." he answered her without having to think about it. "All right, do you have two pairs of handcuffs and ice cream?" she requested "The handcuffs are at the cloakroom and the ice cream is in the freezer. What are you going to do?" he questioned her curiously. -

Brennan walked naked to bring both and his gaze followed her on her way. Then she placed the handcuffs around his wrists, the marks were still clear to see and bound him to the bedposts. Next she spread the cold ice on his hot skin one after the other. First he flinched back because of the cold but as she began to lick the melting ice form his body…He was helplessly at her mercy. She explored every single part of his body. Frankly she told him: "Scars are fascinating. Behind every scar is a story. I hope I will learn the stories behind them one day. How often have you been shot?" "Six times", he answered husky while she touched one of his scars from a bullet…She let him string along and spoilt him. - Her hot lips enfolded him completely. A long time later, when he almost could not keep back it any longer, she slipped over him… They did not admittedly accomplish acrobatic record but Brennan was very open for everything new and she expressed her wishes frankly…. -

The FBI agent shook his head and brought himself to reason. They had given him an envelope and he wanted still to prepare himself. On the trip to the airport he focused on the records. Before the plane started, each face, each detail of the eliminating targets had burned into his brain. As soon as he was in the air, Booth used the flight in order to sleep a few hours. In the near future he wouldn`t receive much sleep. Last night had been a long night. He and Brennan had made love to each other several times and as she finally exhausted had fallen asleep with her head on his chest, he laid awake for a long time. Now his eyes closed, the monotonous sound of the engines let him fall asleep quickly. -

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First Brennan drove home, showered extensive and changed. She chose a pair of dark pants and an also dark T-Shirt these colours were suitable to her mood. Afterwards she promptly hurried with Booth`s car to the Jeffersonian. She would have liked most of all to avoid her colleagues today but that was of course not possible. For one thing she was late and the others would be there long ago. Secondly Angela had the same ability as Booth to notice if there were something wrong with her, like it was printed on her forehead. With a short greeting, Brennan rushed in her office and closed the door behind her immediately. -

Angela stormed in without knocking. Since Brennan hurriedly left the Jeffersonian on the previous day in order to meet Booth, Angela suspected that something happened. Brennan shortly called out to Cam that she took her overtimes and was already out the door. It was unusually that her best friend wasn`t approachable on her cell phone. "What`s the matter, Sweetie?" asked Angela seriously. Brennan sat sunk down behind her desk, she looked like the heaven has collapsed and the world just caved in. -

Hesitantly she began to tell her: "We, we have spent the night together and…." "Whose we? Booth and you?!" interrupted Angela her joyfully excited. "Sweetie, that is great after all. Why are you so depressed? Is he good in bed? Come on tell me!" Angela burst for curiosity. "Ange! Yes, he is amazing, the best by far, but…" again Brennan was interrupted. "What`s your problem then?" the artist wanted to know. "He, he has gone without saying goodbye and I maybe will…" Brennan gasped out whiningly. "Bren that meant nothing at all, some men are just – I actually thought, Booth would not be such a type…" Angela was so excited that she didn`t really heard what Brennan actually wanted to tell her. "Angela! Listen to me, they have sent Booth back again, sent on a dangerous mission and maybe I will never see him again!" Brennan almost yelled the words. Now Angela understood what truly happened. "Ah, Sweetie, I am so sorry" she caught Brennan in her arms spontaneously. -

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The FBI agent dreamed of Brennan, a beautiful dream up to the point where everything drowned in blood. His subconscious summoned the horrible pictures from the past and mixed it up with the present. He awaked with a start and looked at his watch. Up to the landing, there were certainly still left two more hours. He was still terribly tired because his sleep had been all other than relaxing through the nightmare. Again he closed the eyes and submerged until he sensed a touch on his shoulder. -

Instantly he was wide awake and his sniper instinct applied. At lightning speed he snatched the hand laying on his left shoulder and spun the person`s arm with a jerk on the back. He heard a terrified scream, followed by a pressed moaning, he saw into the scared face of a young man. "Sir, I am...I am…sorry, but we will land shortly and I should wake you up…" he stuttered. Booth released the arm startled and apologized. "Never do this again, you are lucky I haven`t broke your arm!" he replied. "No…no, Sir…in the future I will…" the young soldier stammered and rubbed his arm, "…shout loudly before." Quite intimidated he left the FBI agent. He would warn everyone, who wants or didn`t want to know, about the dangerous man. -

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	7. Chapter 7

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello there people!!! Thank you so much for the reviews, you are all so great!!! Here is the next chapter! And, no no no, the show doesn't belong to me or my friend, yada yada yada yada…. :D

Chapter 7

Two weeks have already passed since Booth left. Brennan drove to his apartment every few days. While he was gone, he had asked her to take care of a few matters. So she watered his plants, got the mail and paid his bills. First she cleaned up a little bit, rinsed dishes, washed his dirty laundry and got his suits from the dry cleaning. Booth also asked her to buy a Christmas gift for Parker. Brennan liked it to take care of these general matters, this distracted her at least some time from her gloomy thoughts. -

At the beginning Booth`s aftershave still hung in the air but it passed quickly. Several times she went into his bathroom where she had found another full bottle in order to smell at it. So she had at least something that reminded her of him in the cold empty apartment. At the onset she has been very furious that he hadn`t awoke her and left without saying goodbye. She would have been able to kill him for this. But her anger had passed with the time and made room for a heavy sadness in her

heart. -

Often she lay on his bed and pressed the pillow on which he had lain against herself. Sometimes she cried bitter tears in it. Her fear never to see Booth again was tremendous. But she would never admit this to the others. Always been a master in suppressing, she would also hide her true feelings this time as she done it before. But a certain Seeley Booth had brought confusion into her sorted life. With much energy and endurance he'd tore down her self-built walls and filtered down to her. At the moment her walls were previously higher than before. Unfairly she blamed him because he had gone. Brennan banished the thoughts from her mind, but they would torment her the whole night. -

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The camp was a relatively small one, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, the next bigger city approximately 35 miles away but they had everything what was necessary to guarantee a life in the desert: housings for the teams, community facilities, sanitary facilities, kitchen, base hospital, command-headquarters…The fenced exposed area was additionally secured with barbed wire, with several guards patrolling day and night. -

At the beginning Booth was eyed suspiciously, they probably considered him one of the usual civilians. No one actually knew what he was here to do here. Finally they got used to his presence. Booth was happier with this as then nobody knew what he was doing here. At the moment his task was to study the files of the recruits very precisely as well as to observe the soldiers with their shooting-practices so that he could make a choice. Ultimately he'd selected 15 soldiers who had the capability to be a sniper, no one of them were older than 21. Beside the ability to learn marksmanship, a sniper should bring additional abilities, namely to be particularly stress resistant, well balanced, patient and intelligent. These abilities are required because they are mostly shift for themselves in the line of duty. They had to be able to make decisions, to adjust to new situations and to analyse numerous information. -

The small group of the chosen ones, met to a conference in the command-headquarters. "You probably wonder why you are invited here." the commander began. Booth`s glimpse ran over the small exquisite group, he was also curiously looked up and down. Especially the female soldiers scrutinized him in every detail which didn't confuse him in the slightest. -

The commander introduced him: "That is Staff Sergeant Booth." The agent looked daggers at him. "Eh…I mean, Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI." he immediately improved himself. "We are delighted to advise you that you were selected. Agent Booth will train you in the next weeks to be snipers." "To be Killers", Booth bitter improved in thoughts, "they are still almost children and I shall make emotionless killers of them." The commander continued: "It has turned out after scrutinizing examination, that you are the best. You have all the necessary makings and skills for it. Do you have any questions?" -

A hand rose. Booth thought: "Of course, Marisa Mendez, whoever else?" She always wants to know everything exactly. Just 18 years old, tall, slim, black long hair, woven to a braid. A hot blooded beauty of South American descent, with measurements of a top model as he had determined with trained eyes. What had caused her, to decide an assignment to such an inhospitable place." he wondered. Mendez was the best shooter of the small group and also had all the other makings what the profile of a sniper provided. –

"Sir, I would not like to appear disrespectfully, but why are we trained by an agent of the FBI?" she inquired. Her question sounded in Booth`s ears more like: Didn`t you found something better than a FBI agent? "Agent Booth is still one of our best snipers, even if he now works for the FBI. He possesses leadership-qualities, brings along the necessary military education and experience and knows the area. That predestines him for your training. I am convinced that you will work well together." The commander answered the question. What of course he withheld them was the fact that Booth actual task was to render a few objects harmlessly. –

"Did this answer your question, Mendez?" "Yes Sir, of course." Mendez said. "Any more questions? No? We will begin with the training tomorrow. You will learn more precise details. Don`t forget, although Agent Booth is admittedly no longer with the military, nevertheless he is your superior and you have to obey his instructions and commands. Did you understand that?" "Sir, yes, Sir." the troop answered unanimously. The FBI Agent contorted his eyes that could become cheerfully. He was never a proponent of this whole "Yes, Sir-No, Sir. -

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Since Booth was away, Bones spent even more time in the laboratory than she would have otherwise. She was the first in the morning and left the institute as the last in the evening. In order not to have to think she worked so long she almost felt asleep in standing. Therefore she spent mostly of her nights in the Jeffersonian on the uncomfortable sofa in her office. When she finally felt asleep she was often bothered by nightmares. Restlessly she rolled from one side to the other. Again and again she saw in her dreams that Booth was killed in different ways. She missed him with an intensity that became a physical ache. Next day she was frequently provoked and indignant. Exhausted in mind, body and spirit, she looked pale and tired. Everyone in her team worried about her. –

Brennan sat at her desk, when Angela like a whirlwind stormed in and blustered: "Sweetie you must stop with it!" "With what?" replied Brennan sharper as intended. Blaming Angela countered: "Have you recently seen in the mirror? You hardly sleep and eat irregular. You have lost weight and I don't mean it as a compliment. Do you think that Booth would approve what you are doing here? You kill yourself at this rate. Do yourself a favour and…" "Ange, please!" Brennan saw into the eyes of her best friend, she recognized real worry in it. Nevertheless she blocked Angela: "Booth is not here so why should I be interested in what he would approve of or not. I have to take care of important work. – And I would not like to talk about it." With this she settled the issue. The artist resigned her shoulders and went back to her office with a hanging her head. –

Later when Dr. Sweets entered the platform and approached Brennan, she did not give him a chance to speak. "Dr. Sweets, I don't believe that you have a place in here. If you need somebody to analyzing, then look for somebody else, the Jeffersonian is big enough. There are definitely a few people that would like to call for your help. I would not like to talk about it, haven`t I sufficiently clearly expressed myself? Do you not understand English anymore?" she called angry. Even as Cam wanted to prohibit her working for so long hours, she wasn`t much impressed. –

Soon they allocated Brennan a new agent, who should represent Booth. Agent Groener was the exactly opposite of Booth. Small, stocky and much older with thin blond hair. His hamster cheeks and the watery blue eyes with the bags under the eyes, let him always look like one of the dogs, Brennan didn`t exactly occur. That she was difficult in the contact with other people, each of her team knew but now she was even much more difficult. –

Of course agent Groener questioned each of her statements. He did not get along with the science. He did not care about it. Groener also queried the results of the squint squad and wanted it explained down to the last cent. The anthropologist wasn`t allowed to go field work with him, just like she was accustomed with Booth. She took vengeance on him by giving him no identification for the Jeffersonian and let him look like an idiot at each opportunity with her razor sharp mind and her exceptional intelligence. -

Just in this moment they yelled to each other. Brennan standing on the platform bawled from up down on the small agent and vice versa. "Dr. Brennan, I doubt this is the cause of death, because there are indications…" the agent threw in. "If you are questioning our results, then look for somebody else to work with. Agent Booth would…" Brennan was interrupted by Groener. "Continuously I hear from your superman Booth, I am not Agent Booth…", was Groener`s indignant answer. "I don`t know what that means and I am not blind, I can see you are not Agent Booth. You don't measure up to his shoulders and furthermore you remind me of any dog breed." Brennan snarled from above. -

The promise she had given to Booth, she couldn`t hold under these circumstances. He would understand it. Sure, Booth had also been sceptical at the start but he accepted the results of his squint squad and in particular respected her team. Brennan burnt up Groener and he drove her up the wall. It was due to Cam and above all Angela, that they didn`t mutually tore apart themselves. -

_So? How did you like it? Are you intrigued? Do you want moooooooore? :D_


	8. Chapter 8

**Friend of the author's note: **Hey people!!! How are you??? Well, I'll tell you how I am! I am grrrrrrreat! Your reviews have also very much to do with it! Thank you! You are soupercalifragilisticexpialidocious! But you already knew that! :D Because now I'm feeling very happy, I decided to upload 2 chapters! Enjoy!!! And yes, nothing belongs to me or my friend... don't sue yada yada yada…

Chapter 8

As a sniper Booth was accustomed to be a loner, he didn`t appreciate on much company with the others in the camp, he manly spent his time alone. Furthermore he had to take care of his mission as well but of course only the commissioned officers knew about it in the camp. –

Many of Booth`s days passed by uneventful. Mostly he trained his troop and frequently drove out into the landscape quite alone. Scanning the area. Memorizing the terrain. The survival of a sniper first and foremost depends on his camouflage and the exploitation of the terrain as well as the existence of sufficiently camouflaged and covered attainable change of the positions. -

He left the car behind and walked to look for suitable positions from where he had a good gaze on the targets. With the binoculars he made first eye contact. For days he observed unnoticed. He saw the men, their faces. Their wives, their children, their lives. "You became good friends with them because you believe to know them. You take part of their lives without noticing it." Booth thought saddened, "and it is damned difficult to pull the trigger." He would give this piece of advice for life to his recruits. "Each time you eliminate the target, with every shot, you die a little bit more. You lose your soul." –

He hated the area. The continuous dust-storms whirled up the fine sand and set everywhere. Soaked with sweat he longed for a shower, his own shower and he longed also for a soft bed. His bed at home. Not the nearly too small for his broad shoulders and nearly too short for his size, uncomfortable piece that stood in his tent and what they called bed. The ground was more comfortable. At least he had the luxury of an individual tent and was not accommodated with the others in one of the community-housings. –

In the meantime his face and his arms, looking from his rolled up shirt, where tanned by the desert sun. Dark stubbles adorned his facial features. It was unusually warm for the season, probably attributed to the global climate warming. In the sun, the thermometers reached almost 26 degrees. (78,8 Fahrenheit) The fireball unmercifully beat down the sky. -

Therefore Booth mostly spent his precious free time in his tent, in order to rest. He put himself on his bed and thought. – So as to attempt escaping his alcoholic father he took refuge to the army…as he came back he suffered from the trauma of war. A few years ago he even led a life of self-destruction. Until his son was born. His life made sense again. And now Temperance - how much the anthropologist had changed his life. She wasn`t just his partner, she was so much more to him. She meant the world to him. –

After some time, he got up again because he could not fall asleep with such thoughts in his head. Carefully he began to clean his weapons. He must be able to rely on them that they will perfectly work. His arms were his best friends in the foreign country. He would have been able blindfolded to field strip them and piece them together again. –

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Christmas was soon. Brennan has banished the thought of Christmas into the backmost drawer of her brain. She doesn`t want to hear or see about Christmas. She would have preferably flown to the end of the world, once again, she wasn`t in Christmas-mood at all. All that festive fuss in the whole city annoyed her. Everywhere Christmas carols, people in Santa Claus outfits, people with a blissful grin in the face.... -

Nevertheless Angela persuaded her to a shopping spree, Brennan needed a few Christmas-gifts. Her brother Russ shanghaied her with an unexpected invitation. This year he wanted to celebrate Christmas together with her, Amy, the children and her father. At the home of her brother this time, not on a hard-fought container on the prison-yard. Brennan had hesitantly agreed. She had no Booth this time she could steal a kiss under the mistletoe. -

Already for hours, Angela dragged Brennan from one shop to another. Her best friend was totally excited and turned up. "Hey Bren, what do you think of it?" Angela held a tie under Brennan`s nose, "No, however not. Sweetie, you are absent-minded. Now come one…What did Booth said you should get for Parker?" did the artist push in. "He said something of a laser-sword, I don`t know what that means and for the two girls it should be Heeleys, whatever this is." Brennan answered preoccupied. Angela went into it: "Laser-sword, such as from Star Wars with sound-effect and light?" "Yes, I believe he said from Star Wars." the anthropologist answered. "Okay, toy department. Laser-sword and Heeleys, no problem. Do you know the size?" Angela wanted to know. Brennan returned: "Size of what?" Angela shook her head: "The shoe-sizes of the girls!" Short time later she had found what she was looking for. -

Some more hours they spent in the department store and Angela constantly showed her other things. Brennan nodded now and then. She was very absent, also when they had a cup of coffee. Despite her friends, she felt so terribly lonesome. -

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As always the FBI agent precisely fulfilled his tasks as he eliminated the first targets. No one knew from where the shots came. The horror and mourning of the bereaved women and children burned into his memory forever. Carefully and unseen he retreated. Disorder prevailed in the camp of the rebels. From the distance he saw that heavily armed patrols were sent into different directions, to scan the area. -

Highly concentrated Booth crouched flat himself on the ground in his hiding place and merged with the surroundings. Suddenly his hackles got up and he knew he wasn`t no longer alone. Lighting fast he rushed the alleged opponent off his feet, brutally kept close his mouth and his knife was at the throat of the enemy in order to finish his life with a fast cut. -

Booth looked into the terrified eyes of Private Curtis. "Are you totally crazy?" he whispered stunned. "Are you on your own?" "No, Sir. We are five altogether." Informed him Curtis still visibly shocked. In the meantime, his other protégés had crawled along. Booth thought, they are good, they managed to get unseen so near to him. "Damn it! What of my order to stay in the camp didn`t you actually not understand, Private Curtis?" Booth hissed dangerously. "You will kill us all." he added, "Whose stupid idea was that?" "Mine Sir", Curtis said abashedly. He stammered: "We, we thought Sir…, we wanted to see what you are doing alone out there all the time." "Really? You should not think but follow orders, soldier!" rebuked Booth. "Are you satisfied now, had you seen enough now? And Mendez I would have expected more brain of you." he saw directly into her eyes. Eyes, sharp like a scalpel penetrating her. Marisa shamed lowered her gaze. He heard her whispering: "I told you before what a shit of an idea this was." "Pipe down, Private!" he said angrily. –

By the action Booth had been got sidetracked what never happened before, he normally worked alone. Since the young Corporal Parker had been killed, Booth had decided to execute his jobs without society. Through the carelessness of his protégés they had attracted attention of their opponents. First shots felt into their direction as they came under fire. As fast as possible they had to change their position. What would have been no problem for him, but he had a drag in terms of 5 young soldiers he was responsible for. At his command they ran ducked through the terrain. -

One of the boys, named Fulton, was hit by a stray bullet into the thigh and went down the ground

crying. Booth dragged the casualty forward. "Pull yourself together! Clench your teeth, otherwise you will give away our position with your shouting and we are all dead." he indignantly prevailed at the soldier. -

Suddenly he sensed a searing pain when a ricochet pulled a blazing track like a comet over his abdominal wall. He screwed up his face of pain. In contrast to his protégés he didn`t wore a protection vest, what avenged now. The gluey moisture drenched his shirt. "That have to wait!" he grimly thought, "For now we have to come out alive." Finally they were offered a good possibility for covering. He hammered into his protégés to remain silent. –

5 more people went on the account of the agent. Quickly and silently he killed, he could not capture more attention. His enemies didn`t have the time to fire a shot or a word of warning. When they noticed him, it was already too late. He snapped the neck of the first, the next he rammed his elbow into the face that his nose broke and the bone-splinter was directly driven into his brain. While he slit two of them the throat, he merciless pressed his hand on their mouths as long as the burbling died down. Blood from the cut arteries splashed on his clothing. Disgusted he stared at his hands, covered in blood. He took care of the last through the aimed throw of his knife directly into the heart. After that he collapsed sobbing into the sand. -

They were also only people who fight for their ideals, even for the wrong ones. Equally like him they had family. How he hated the killing, it internally tore him apart. It lasted some time until he had himself under control again. Then he wended on his way back. -

He came back with a grim expression on his face. His clothing and hands were fully of blood. The camouflage-colour in his face mixed with sweat, tears and blood of his enemies. He pulled off the bandana from his head covering his hair and tried unsuccessfully to wipe away the rust-red liquid of his hands and his face. He dangerously approached Curtis and grabbed him by the shirt. "Through your brain-less slight of command you has endangered the life of your comrades and my mission, too." he chided Curtis for this, "I should bring you before the military-court, soldier! That`s no stupid computer-game, if you die here you have no further life and the dead people didn`t rose up again. Did you finally get it? ""Yes, Sir…I am sorry, but I…" Booth cut him of: "Shut your trap!" "Sir yes Sir!" Curtis answered intimidated. The FBI agent rolled with his eyes: "How often did I already tell you, that I don`t like it, if you constantly name me "Sir" and when you do it twice consecutively, I even like it less. "Booth" will do it." "Of course, Sir…" Curtis received. "Forget about it!" he surrendered. -

"That was totally crap today." he thought cynically. His fury went of in smoke. To control his temper was something Booth had learned during his time as a sniper. Objectivity was a need that the job entailed. Wary he kept tabs on the surroundings while the others patched-up the bullet wound of her comrade. The young soldier had already lost a lot of blood and he immediately had to bring back to the camp. -

Marisa stepped to Booth`s side: "Sir, you are injured!" "It is only a scratch." he stopped her with a wave of his hand. "Just let me have a look at it. Nevertheless the wound have to look after, to catch no infection." she said with a voice brook no dissent. There was no sense in discussing it with Mendez, he gave into her and pulled up his shirt out of his pants, whereas he noticeably cringed. The wound burned as somebody has poured in acid. –

He saw the young soldier grinning. Booth sat down on the ground and Marisa softly pressed him back in the warm sand. Carefully she pushed the shirt high and reckoned mockingly: "A scratch, huh? Of course, Sir, that much is clear, that is only a scratch and there is also sand in it. Great!" Skilfully she began to disinfect the wound. The FBI agent flinched, behind clenched teeth he pressed forth: "What hellish stuff is this?" "That? That is a secret recipe of my granny." Marisa replied to him smiling. Mendez asked Booth directly: "Your official order was to take out some people, huh?" "Stop it, Mendez! Don`t wanna talk about this. I just had to brutally kill five more people because of Curtis`s dullness. Do you really think it is fun for me? Is that enough?" Booth answered with a horrified expression. Marisa asked nothing more. When she fortified a compress on the wound she noticed to his hard muscles twitched under her hands. "So, that should be enough until we are back at the camp. Booth replied: "Thanks. I am sorry, I didn`t wanted to yell at you, but…" "It`s okay, Sir…I understand it." Mendez interrupted him. -

Booth never mentioned the incident. When he was asked about it, he said, they had explored the area together and they got into an ambush and his "children" behaved in an exemplary manner. They learned their lesson anyway, he let sleeping dogs lie. The next days quietly passed by and without incidents. -

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was Holy Eve. Booth`s morale has absolutely plummeted. There was definitely snow in Washington. The streets and shops would be ablaze with light and everywhere happy laughing faces. The families celebrated the festival of love together. However he was in the damn desert. -

In the community-tent the military priest did conduct a divine service that the agent attended. They had attempted to bring some Christmas-mood there, too, with chain of lights, candles and fir-green. Even a completely decorated Christmas-tree stood in one corner. Booth had no view for it. After the service he immediately retreated into his tent. He heard laughter and singing resounding through the silence that lay over the lonesome camp. Lost in thoughts he sat on the bed-edge and held a photo of Brennan, Parker and himself in his hands. Booth still exactly remembered when it had been taken. Angela took it of them in the diner. Parker had been with him over the weekend and as always they celebrated the successful conclusion of a case. -

Suddenly he noticed a movement from the corner of his eye at the tent entrance. Immediately he reached for his gun lying beside him and aimed at the figure. As he recognized Marisa, he sank the weapon and seriously said: "You are living dangerously, Mendez! I would have been able to kill you if you sneak around like this." Marisa was the born sniper, he immediately recognized that. She moved just as smooth and quiet like a wild animal on the hunt. Her reflexes were excellent and she shot with deadly precision. Exactly like him. -

Marisa, who just stared death in the face, cleared embarrassed her throat: "I don`t think so, Sir. I already know you very well. For one thing for your age you have excellent reflexes for another thing you already knew that I sneaked along. May I come in for a minute?" Booth drily gave her to answer: "Sure. Thanks for the compliment - in my age – when you express yourself like this, I all at once feel like my own grandfather." Marisa flushed easily; he saw it despite the bad lighting conditions. She felt enamoured to the tall man with the broad shoulders and the sad chocolate-brown eyes. Not in a sexual manner but like a daughter to her father or a sister to her older brother. -

"I am sorry, Sir, I didn`t want to offend you." she cornered abashed. "It`s okay, I know how you meant it, Mendez." the FBI agent replied. "I didn`t want to disturb you either, Sir. But it is however Holy Eve, Sir. And you are alone. Only wanted to ask you whether you want come across to us. We have a small celebration in the community facilities…a few of us doing a little Poker…" Marisa continued. "Thanks, for the invitation but I have stopped with it and I am rather alone today, don`t worry about me." Booth replied. "You have stopped with what, Sir?" Marisa wanted to know. "It`s not important. How often have I already told you, that you should not constantly name me "Sir?" Booth changed the subject smiling. "Guess what, Sir", Marisa grinned and still extra emphasized the "Sir", "the boys and girls are fond of you and what you have done for Curtis…" Booth lifted his eyebrow in astonishment. –

"You don`t like to be here", she casually determined. "Who likes to be here?" he said with expressionless expression. "I like to be here, better than at home." she replied. "May I ask you something, Marisa?" the agent looked at her directly. "Of course, Sir." she withstood his gaze. "What actually compelled you to volunteer for an action?" he wanted to know from her. For a short moment her eyes darkened and she hesitated. Booth immediately was sorry that he had asked: "Excuse me that was no concern of mine…" However Marisa answered his question: "It`s okay Sir. It`s because of my father…he had beaten me up and…well, you know…" "I am sorry", he sympathetically answered, he exactly knew what she was talking about and shuddering this reminded him of his own father. If there weren`t his grandfather, he would probably won`t be alive. -

Marisa looked at the photo in his hands and guessed: "I can absolutely understand that you would rather spend Christmas with your wife and son. Incidentally she is really beautiful and your son immensely looks like you. In a few days you are at home again." With a lump in his throat Booth added: "Ah, that`s not my wife, we are only partners, that is Dr. Temperance Brennan, she is forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian institution in Washington and we work together for the FBI." In the same moment he wondered whether this was still valid. "Nevertheless everybody notices that you both have a tight relationship to each other. No offense, Sir. If you should change your mind, you know…Good night, Sir!" wished Marisa him, turned around and left the tent. "Good night, Mendez!" called Booth after her. Thoughtfully he sat down again. Then he got a sheet of paper and began to write a letter to Bones. –

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As every year a small Christmas-celebration took place with Brennan`s squint squad at the Jeffersonian. Brennan, Angela, Jack, Cam and Zach exchanged small gifts, drank eggnog and took the usual memory-photos. But there was gloom this year. Everyone thought of Booth. Everybody thought how Booth was doing. In the years, they worked together, a deep friendship originated between them. -

"Did you get any news of Booth, Sweetie?" Angela asked her best friend. Bones cringed; she was far away with her thoughts: "Ahem? What have you said?" The artist repeated her question and Brennan shook her head for an answer. "The last letter arrived two weeks ago, he wrote the usual, however had indicated that he soon accomplished his "mission", what ever this means and will be at home soon." acquainted Brennnan. "This is good news." Jack answered, "I never thought before that I would miss our all favourite-agent. It`s boring without Booth. ""Agent Groener is a very strange man in contrast to Agent Booth. Agent Groener speaks with me and paid attention to me. Also he didn`t know what I am speaking about." Zach sounded slowly. With astonishment, they all turned around. "Are you serious, Dr. Addy?" Cam asked with a grin. All, besides Brennan burst out in hearty laugh, what Zach confused. -

A short time later, every one was on the way. Angela and Hodgins celebrated Christmas together in Jack`s house. Both had made Christmas decoration and had decorated the Christmas tree together. Zach drove home to his family in Michigan and Cam as always spent her days together with her parents and sister on a cruise. -

The anthropologist sat lost in thoughts in her office. A small packet stood in front of her, she had bought it for Booth. An outlandish tie-needle was the content. If he comes back, she would like to give him the gift. – If he ever will come back. She was troubled because she hadn`t got a message of him. At least she thought he would write to her for Christmas. So far his letters always came on a regularly basis but probably he had been too busy in the last days and didn`t think of her at all. Why on earth ought he to think of her at all, reflected Brennan. She decided to take care of a few other things. Not until later she left the Jeffersonian. -

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Rain was rarely in the desert but it could absolutely happen during winter times. The heaven opened its floodgates. As if it would cry considering the events that would come. Monotonously the heavy drops drummed on the tents. Hardly one of the soldiers left the protective housings. -

Unexpectedly the attack took place in the early morning hours of the 25th December. The ground was shaken by explosions, screams and shots ripped the morning silence. Booth immediately rose up from his bed wide-awake and snatched his weapon. He carried his other arms at his body. As always, he was completely dressed. On the one hand, the nights in the desert were cold, on the other hand he react the thought to run out of the tent nearly naked because of a nightly incident. This time his decision paid off.

When he bent down sprint out of his accommodation, outside total chaos prevailed. The noise was deafening, detonations and shots, burning housings. It smelled of burnt flesh. The dense smoke, clouded his sight and the rain did every thing else, tattered bodies, mutilated corpses everywhere. Screams of agony of the casualties and dying reverberated through the streets. Young soldiers between running around haphazardly and in panic. Among the survivors he saw Marisa and a few others among. Ducked he ran over to them. "Go, secure yourself!" he shouted against the noise, "flee, hide yourself and try to get help. And for God`s sake don`t let yourself get captured. That is a command!" "And you, Sir, what about you?" Mendez screamed back. He always found a way he already had mastered other hopeless situations. "Don`t worry about me!" was Booth`s scarce answer. -

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_You know you wanna review it… :D_


	10. Chapter 10

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello people! How are you? I have informed my friends about all of your reviews and she is so excited! She still cannot believe it that it turns out to be good! She says there are no words to describe how thankful she is! And she apologises for any mistakes that she have made in the story; she will be more careful in her next story! She writes it now and I'm telling you, YOU ALL are going to LOVE IT! Unfortunately, not ready yet! Here is the next chapter! I hope you liked it!

**Disclaimer: **It doesn't belong to us, bla-bla-bla...

Chapter 10

Again, Brennan was late. Despite the holiday, she was into the Jeffersonian in order to take her mind off things. What else should she do? Once again, she had forgotten the time. She had now to hasten in order to come still in time to dinner of her brother. Thereby she had to go to Parker and hand over his gift. She would yet again be late. Hastily she slipped from her laboratory-frock, carelessly threw it into the corner and hurried to her car. Again, it had begun to snow; nevertheless, she drove in high speed to her destination. In a shortest time, she stood in front of the house where Rebecca and Parker lived. -

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"That`s all my fault!" Booth heard his inner voice. Like the bible says: "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. They take vengeance that I have killed their people." But he consciously ignored this voice. He could not afford to be deflected. To seal himself off from the feelings wasn`t not alone a need among snipers, it was a commandment. An emotional-loaded shooter was normally a bad shooter. The most badly of the bad military operations, he had survived, by discovering and developing his abilities to keep calm in every environment and in all circumstances. -

Every shot he fired met his aim. He emotionlessly thought, "At least something meaningful my old man has taught me: Shooting and to pouch a beating." His father`s opinion had been, whoever loves his child, had to birch his child. He banished the dim thoughts. Predatory on foray he moved – quickly, quietly and lithe. The features of his face were callous, almost cruel. His normally warm brown eyes were cold and black. -

If Brennan and the others had seen him like this, they would have been aghast about so much coldness. Dr. Sweets however would have analyzed this side of the agent with enthusiasm. Although Brennan had already recognized it right, as she compared him with Ripley at that time: warm, calming eyes and capable of great violence. This time he didn`t succeeded completely holding under control his emotions. With this fight for his own life and the life of his comrades, he developed a virtually biblical fury, a righteous and terrifying fury that set free the wild avenger in him. His dark side took over control – Booth, the killer. On this day, he finished some lives. Calculating and without mercy. -

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"Dr. Bones!" greeted Parker Brennan beaming and threw himself into her arms. "Hello Parker", Temperance said smiling and stroke the hair of the little boy, "did Santa already bring you something?" How easily it was all at once to join the game about Santa Claus. She had led long discussions with her partner across it whether it was right to tell the children these "lie". –

"Yes! Yes! Dr. Bones!" Parker yelled and jumped around her excited, "come with me I will show it to you." With a nod, Rebecca gave Brennan her approval and Parker showed her the gifts that he already had gotten. "Here, this is for you. Santa Claus accidentally delivered it to me." she handed over the gift to Parker that she had bought for him in order of Booth. Parker tore down the gift-paper and rejoiced: "That`s what I always wanted to have! Thanks Santa!" the child ran to his room and immediately began to play. -

That gave Bones and Rebecca the possibility to talk to each other undisturbed. "Did you hear something of Seeley lately, Dr. Brennan?" Rebecca asked hopefully. "No, I am sorry. It`s already over two weeks, I actually have expected a letter of him for Christmas. I will promptly inform you as soon as I know something new." Brennan answered with a regretful undertone. "Unfortunately I already have to go because I am invited at my brother`s house." She quickly added. –

"Thanks, Dr. Brennan, for the gift and your effort", Rebecca quietly gave her to answer. "It`s Temperance, please and I…", replied Brennan. Rebecca interrupted her: "I know Temperance, Seeley has given you the order but you have executed it. You rejoiced Parker with the present. He is missing his Dad very much. Thank you again." "I liked to do it." Brennan returned. The two different women spontaneously embraced themselves and wished "Merry Christmas". -

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In a short space of time, the FBI agent was wet to the skin. Suddenly he saw a shape through the curtain of rain. With shock-widened eyes, a young soldier stood in the middle of the street. Booth yelled horrified: "Down! For the love of God, get down!" However, his scream of warning went unheard because of the noise of the continuous explosions and shots in the surrounding streets. He raced without hesitating. With a shiver, he thought,: "They are simply too young. They couldn`t cope with the situation." -

Some paces before he reached the boy, he saw him rear up. Hit by several bullets in the back he was thrown on the ground before him. "Noooooooo!" Booth yelled. The weapon at the ready he saw through the curtain of rain the sneaky shooter that now aimed at him. The agent shot the fraction of a second earlier than his opponent did. Despite the unfavourable conditions of the weather, he exactly hit his target. Stony-faced he chased the bullet exactly into the heart of his adversary. The passion of justice burned in him. –

Not even the projectile that smashed through his shoulder with enormous force could detain him. Adrenaline that whipped through his body did not let him feel the pain. This would however come unavoidable later. Blood ran down his arm and drenched the material of the light battle dress uniform. The shock wave of a following explosion tore Booth to the ground and he roughly hit his head. His bones were thoroughly shaken and his injured shoulder wasn`t spared by the impact. -

A ferocious blow at the forehead clouded his view short-term. "Don`t pass out!" hammered through his painful skull. Blood ran him into the eyes. With the back of his hand, the agent wiped over his face. Raindrops mixed with the red liquid and smeared his face to a grotesque mask. He crawled on all fours over to the dying. In the meantime, the whole street had changed into mud-hole. -

The surroundings around Booth seemed like freezing, no sound filtered down to him, like in an empty space. Cautiously he pulled the dying soldier into his arms. The cold hand of the boy held his embraced. With morbid fascination, he looked at the thin rivulet that ran first down the corner of the mouth, along the chin, down the neck until it trickled away the shirt collar. Booth looked in a pair of eyes of pervasive blue; the young soldier tried to speak with difficulty, his body trembled. "Sh, don`t speak." Booth held the head of the young man pressed against his chest. "Everything will be alright", he whispered into the boy`s wet hair. -

It was as if he moved back the time. Pictures appeared before his inner eyes. Pictures, when he humped dying Teddy Parker. Again he hadn`t manage to rescue a life. It was his blame that Teddy died; equally, it was his blame that the unknown boy died. He would have to live with this burden. In his arms, the young soldier reared up for the last time, than his body became limp. The light in his eyes faded. Booth softly laid back him on the ground and closed his eyes. -

This time the sudden pointless death of another human being let him fall into fatale indecision and scared stiffness. After all, he was still a human being and no callous killer-machine. He remained unprotected kneeling in the middle of the rain soggy street. A short time later, as if he was awakening from a deep trance he dazed his surroundings again. He declared himself a fool: "How can a single human being be so stupid. See that you carry your ass into safety, Booth!" he thought aloud and tried to come on his legs. -

With astonishment now, he noticed the blood at his shoulder. "A shot through-and-through the shoulder isn`t exactly a good option to survive in the middle of nowhere." he could barely think because in the same moment, the pain attacked him with such a force that it became black before his eyes. His weapon lay useless beside him in the mud. Booth could only be out for seconds but that was enough for his opponents. A familiar click, in the same moment he sensed the cold steel against his temple. Solidified to a pillar of salt he cynically thought: "Booth, you are such an idiot, you got that right, to be caught like a rookie." -

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_**Note: **__How bad is it that you have to wait until Monday to read the next chapter? Well, I like to tease you! I'm bad to the bone… Review if you must! And maybe I'll post it sooner! :D_


	11. Chapter 11

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello there, my little penguins! Gosh, I'm feeling so great today! It's summer, and even here, it's warm! The sun is shining; the birds are singing! Truth, it rains occasionally... And well, it was 0° Celsius a week ago, but... Who cares! Anyway, I hope you are all fine, happy and healthy! Sooooo... I'm afraid I have to inform you, that we have finally reached a critical point in the history, where everything is about to get really gross and torturous, heart-breaking and crying-on-the-floor-like-an-infant. Actually, my friend is sure that we will receive death-threading emails, which is also another reason why I am the one who have the guts to post the story and not she. It's not that she likes seeing people in pain or likes writing about Booth being tortured (she loves him!); it's just... She knows these _stuff _well, as she has family members who... Horrific things that you are about to read in this chapter and in the 4-5 upcoming ones, are real stuff that occur there. And she only wrote the harmless version of it. Anyway, she says that she is undescribly thankful that you all sticked to the story until now and hopefully you will continue to read the upcoming chapters. She apologizes again for any mistakes; it's just so hard, because she writes the story in German first and then translates it in English. Trust me, it is a hell of a work! Enjoy the chapters, and feel free to review! We are harder than rocks... We can take it! Just try to focus on the fact that there is a happy end in eight chapters from now! At least that kept me from throwing my head on a wall, when I was reading the story. **Disclaimer: **No, nothing belongs to my friend, except of this story. If the show did belong to us, we would at least have proper season finales! So, don't sue as we can't afford for lawyers!

Chapter 11

It smelled alluring when Brennan arrived at the house of her brother. Different scents mixed, meals, candles, fir sprigs…All at once she noticed how hungrily she actually was. As always, she had almost eaten nothing the whole day. Otherwise, Booth reminded her to eat. – "Aunt Tempe, finally there you are!" she was stormily greeted and embraced by the two girls. "I am sorry, that I have been late but I have simply forgotten the time." she apologized to the rest of the family after she had greeted them all. Amy answered: "It`s okay! Meals have just become ready." "You should not work at the holidays as well, dear." Her father rebuked her and put his arm around her. "However now you are here and we can celebrate a beautiful Christmas together," he added. Everyone knew that she suffered from the absence of Booth, though she would never admit it. -

"Do you also have a tree, Aunt Tempe?" Haley wanted to know. "No, I haven`t a tree, darling because I intended to go on a trip." replied Temperance. "That is really too bad, Aunt Tempe, but you can look at ours, come along!" the girl called, took Brennan on the hand and moved her into the living room so that Bones could first admire the decorated tree. "Isn`t it beautiful, we decorated it all together!" the child explained to her. A moment Brennan thought how it would be to decorate a Christmas tree with her partner. Probably it would degenerate into a substantial discussion again. "Yes, it is really beautifully!" she answered the girl. -

Amy`s voice got her back to the present again: "Will you come? Otherwise, the meal will become cold. Afterwards you still have sufficiently time." Soon all of them sat down at the festively decorated table and enjoyed the dinner. – No one of them suspected that Booth was ferociously tortured miles away in a subterranean oubliette. -

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They indicate Booth to get up. Unstable he got on his legs. Like a piece of cattle they urged him before themselves and when he wasn`t sufficiently fast enough in their opinion they pushed him the gun barrel in the back. He grimaced of aches. The pain hammered in his skull as if the seven dwarfs were looking for gemstones. He was nauseas, dizzy and he had gaps in his memory. Probably a concussion, he assumed, caused through the impact after the explosion. -

The pain raged from his pierced shoulder down to his hand, a feeling like pulverizing glass-splinters in his muscles and bones. Fortunately the projectile hadn`t met an artery, the wound stopped bleeding. With the next push in the back, the agent stumbled and felt. The attempt to not intercept his injured side remained unsuccessful because he stretched out both of his arms in pure reflex. The pain roared like a glowing poker in his shoulder. With effort, he suppressed a cry of pain by digging his teeth into his own arm. Roughly, they pulled him up and pushed him forward. -

Soon he could saw a group of approx. 30 soldiers on a free space that had been jammed together like animals. With horror, he recognized that also women were under the survivors. Booth became sick when he thought of what they would do with them. He couldn`t discover Marisa and the other four soldiers. Maybe they were still alive. Maybe they had succeeded with the escape and they could hide. He didn`t gave up hope.

In the meantime, the rain had stopped; the sun emerged and burned unmerciful from the sky. It had to be already over an hour since they let them kneel on an edged log, with the hands behind the heads. -

Finally, the leader paced the rows of the low-kneeling soldiers. On his sign, the prisoners were pitilessly killed by a shot into the neck without any hesitation. Booth spoke a quiet prayer in behalf of their immortal souls. Then the steps fell silent behind him. He felt the cool metal of the weapon on his neck.

He closed his eyes yielding, he wasn`t afraid of dying. His dried up lips moulded even a mute prayer for himself. After he heard the commanding sound of the commander, he expected the deadly bullet. But the steps continued. They spared him. However, the FBI agent wondered whether it would not have been better to die now and here. -

Meanwhile his feet had fallen asleep and a numbness feeling stretched in his legs. Still the pain raged in his penetrated shoulder like a wild bunch of children, reinforced by the raised arms. Let alone his head that felt like it would immediately explode. Blood still gushed out of the wound at his back of the head, dribbled through his hair and oozed away in his shirt collar. The scrape over the right eyebrow had stopped bleeding. For no longer time he could hold the arms in this position. The agent sensed nausea rise in him and chokingly vomited into the sand beside him. –

Immediately the guards were over him and plagued him with hits and footsteps. In order to be as small target as possible he instinctively pulled up the knees and ducked his head. First heavy boots met his ribs, the pain in his right side cut off the air like a rope. After this, they hit his kidneys, the abdomen and the stomach. He squirmed in pain. Keenly he uttered the air between compressed teeth, but no scream emerged from his lips, he didn`t want to give them this satisfaction. As a step hit the ugly wound on his head, it became gloomily around him and he lost the consciousness. -

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Brennan`s stomach painfully convulse, when her cell phone rang and on the display appeared "Cullen". Instinctively she knew that something dreadful had happened. Why should otherwise call Deputy Director Cullen her, to wish her a "Merry Christmas"? "Brennan" she reported. Her voice strangely sounded in her ears. "Cullen", she heard a sonorous voice on the other end, "Dr. Brennan, please excuse me for the disturbance, but I wanted to personally inform you with the message before you will hear it from the news." "Oh, no, Booth…did he get…?" she panicked. -

Without circumlocutions and emotionless voice, he briefly advised her of the matter: "We don`t know exact yet. We only had gotten information that the camp was attacked. There are many dead people. The corpses are largely mutilated to unrecognizable condition." Bones lost all colour from her face and staggered easily. All conversations around her had suddenly fallen silent. Her brother and the others immediately saw that something terrible had happened. Russ jumped up in order to support his sister; she looked like she would faint each moment. –

"I wanted to ask you, if you would help with the identification of the corpses," requested Cullen the anthropologist. "Of course! Why certainly! When?" her voice sounded tonelessly. The Deputy Director informed her about the details. As soon as she had finished the conversation, she heavily dropped herself into the next chair. Her father was promptly at her side: "Tempe, dear, what happened?" "Booth…Director Cullen…" she stammered. Anew she began, but she couldn`t think straight. "Tempe, look at me!" she looked into her father`s eyes. She gulped down the dumpling that had refined in her throat and monotonous told what she had heard from Cullen. "I, I have to go, I am sorry, I have to pack, I will be picked up in 2 hours." –


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

At another place, Booth came back into consciousness, panting and snorting, as they poured a pail of icy water over his head. The water ran into his eyes and he shook his head, which he immediately extremely regretted as flaming pains twitched like a blazing fire in his skull. Because his tongue already stuck to the palate, he licked the water of his brittle lips. Crimson bruises everywhere, marked his aching body; a sharp pain in the ribs, the taste of blood on his tongue. He had problems with the respiration, which meant one or more ribs were broken or at least fractured. His stomach hurt like hell and his testicles seemed like the size of a coconut. –

Due to the icy water, he was freezing. He couldn't prevent his teeth chattering against one another. He was naked save for his boxers that were left on his body. Booth thought sarcastically, "Wonderful. It is indeed something. At least they have left me my underpants." His wrists and ankles were bound to a chair and the rough ropes cut into the thin skin of his joints. Again, nausea climbed up inside him and he vomited before the feet of his torturers. They jumped, sickened to the side. He never thought they would be such crybabies. He would have liked to have one gulp of water to get rid of the bitter taste of bile in his mouth, but this was wishful thinking. –

When they beat him into the face, his head flew back. He moaned, blood shooting from his nose and his already ripped lips open further. His gaze faltered; almost he lost his consciousness again, but only almost. He always had a hard and stubborn skull. -

The commander planted himself in front of Booth and talked insistently to him in his mother tongue. The FBI agent wrinkled his forehead, he couldn`t understand a word. "If you cooperate, you won`t have to suffer. You say us what we want to know and you will die through a quickly bullet into your head." One of the present men translated it into broken English. "That will never happen." was all Booth answered. Never would he betray his country. He had not done it before and he also wouldn`t do it today. Indeed, he was completely aware of the hopeless situation and braced himself to the coming. It would not be the first time. -

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In the eyes of her family, Brennan saw speechless terror. Precipitately she said goodbye in order to drive home. Tears welled up in her eyes, she couldn`t keep them back any longer. They ran over her face and sometimes blocked her view. She saw everything through a veil. A car honked beside her. "If I don`t stop to howl, I will cause an accident." she conversed to herself. With the sleeves of her jacket, she wiped off the tears, immediately followed by new ones. Scraps of thoughts shot through her head: "No, it`s not true! As long as I haven't seen his corpse with own eyes…he is still alive, I know that he is alive." -

At home she threw urgently and unsystematically a few things into a suitcase and drove to the Jeffersonian in order to get her laptop and equipment afterwards. She wrote Angela a short note to inform her and tacked the yellow paper to the PC of the artist. In order not to spoil Jack and Angela Christmas she preferred not to call the two, Zach and Cam weren`t attainable anyway. Maybe she would be back in the New Year. Hastily she left the Jeffersonian and was soon picked up by a man, dressed in uniform that brought her to the military-airfield. Silently and deep in thoughts she spent the trip there, a short while later she sat in the airplane. -

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They began with the martyrdom. In order to prevent Booth knowing what the intended to do with him, they blindfolded him with a dark cloth. Whereas he was familiar with different methods of torture and his hearing was perfectly working, he suspected what they would do first. –

Exactly in time, he managed to draw a deep breath before they mercilessly dipped his head into a pail of cold water. Instinctively he braced against the grip that embraced his head and held it under water. His hands had crawled around the armrests of the chair. He knew that they would not kill him immediately but he almost panicked because of the lack of oxygen. He thought his lungs would burst and it rang in his ears. His heart knocked against his ribs. He opened the mouth in reflex and swallowed water. It felt like an eternity until they withdrew him. The agent coughed and haunted water. Greedily he sucked in the air in his pungent lungs. They hardly left him time to recover before they pitiless pressed him under the surface again. Every time they held his head brutally under water nearly to unconsciousness. How often, he couldn`t say. Sometime later, they seemed to be bored of this "game". -

Next, they loosen the bonds on the left side; they looped the rope around his wrist and pulled his arm over the tabletop until it lied stretched. Then they pushed a piece of squared timber und his outstretched fingers. "Nice, that would become interesting!" Booth bitterly thought. Unconsciously he wanted to withdraw his hand but they held him down resolutely. Another one put him the arm around the neck and held him pressed against the backrest. With an iron pipe they stroke his fingers with raw force. -

The FBI agent thought he heard his bones breaking, as if someone shattered rotten branches. Unbearable pains, like a burning fuse cord, browse through his crashed bones, through his arm into the brain. However, he stood conscious. His body reared up and he straightened the back. The arm pressed against his throat, cut off the air briefly. Booth pressed his teeth so firmly together, to force back a scream, that his jawbones clearly became evident. Only his gasp was heard. With the next hit, they splintered his wrist. As the new wave of pain rolled over him, he held his breath and expelled it panting like a pregnant in the labours. -

"You will also scream, exactly like the others!" he heard a scornful voice, followed by laughter that listened to him like atonal music played on a disgruntled flute. A cold metallic sound; inhuman. Booth thought: "That`s absolutely possible. However not here and today." One of his uncommon abilities was to block pains. It was often said about him that his pain threshold lies somewhere between that of a rhino and fence post. That was overstated but he could stand a lot. Occasionally it was desirable to perceive pains as strongly as possible. On the one hand, it sharpened the senses and made especially watchful, on the other hand it prevented him to forget how precious life was. -

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In the meantime, Brennan had arrived at the place of horror. Over the destroyed camp lay a narcotic smell of burnt and decomposing. The horribly mutilated corpses and body parts had been strung on a free place. First Brennan paced the rows one after the other and studied the human remains. Sometimes she bent down in order to examine them. She wanted to be certain. Only when she had seen the corpse of her partner with her own eyes, she would believe that he is no longer alive. Marisa didn`t hover over from her side. -

Bones paced the last row and shook her head. She determined relieved: "No, he is not here!" "How can you be so sure, Dr. Brennan, some of the corpses are almost fouled up beyond all recognition!" remarked Mendez uncertain. "Miss Mendez, it is my occupation, I can recognize it by means of the body structure and a few other things, which I would not like to discuss with you. Furthermore, I already knew Agent Booth for a few years, I would recognize him each time blindfolded on his characteristic features of his body. I am absolutely certain!" meant Brennan annoyed. She hated it when somebody questioned her expertise. -

When she saw Marisa`s astonished gaze she added embarrassed: "What`s wrong? Ah! That didn`t just came out right. I meant that each human being shows another structure, size, width of the shoulders, age, sex…" "I know, what you meant, Dr. Brennan. Well, "Mendez answered, "he wasn`t under the corpses of the executed soldiers either." "Executed soldiers?" Brennan asked knitting her brows. "Yes, there are several corpses with a shot in the back of the neck. When he is not present here that could either mean he has also succeeded to escape but then he would certainly already have got in touch with us or what is more likely that he got caught, too. That wouldn`t be good either." informed Mendez Brennan. -

"Why isn`t that good, he is at least still alive and I am sure you can certainly negotiate with these people." Brennan reckoned naively. "Yes, sure, certainly you can negotiate with those people but I wouldn`t like to be in his shoes, when they find out he is the sniper who has killed their people." Marisa muttered. "What did you just say, I haven`t understood you?" replied Brennan. -

She didn`t got an answer from Marisa because Bones was called: "Dr. Brennan! We have found something here!" Before a destroyed tent, she saw standing several men. It was Booth`s tent. The picture frame with the picture of Booth, Parker and her lay in the middle of the chaos, the glass had been shattered. When she lifted the frame, she stroke over it lost in thoughts and didn`t notice that she cut herself at one of the sharp glass splinters. Only as a drop of her blood felt on Booth`s face it became conscious to her. Although she wasn`t superstitious she interpreted it as a bad omen. Unsuccessfully she tried to wipe off the blood and smeared it even more. -

"Here, I think that also belongs to you, "one of the soldiers spoke to her and gave her a partially burnt piece of paper. When Brennan grasped after it, her hand trembled, immediately she had recognized the expressive handwriting. It was Booth`s handwriting. It was a letter to her. Hastily she scanned the few left lines: "Temperance, I have thought a long time about us, I thought about our relationship. I had a lot of time to do it…We know each other already for some years and a strong partnership has originated between us. Together we stared death in the face and have beaten some battles. I have thought about our night together. It was an action of despair, if you want to call it this way, but…", the rest was missing. Hastily she pocketed the paper, turned around and ran off. -

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_Okay, how bad do you hate us? Tell me in a review and you will get another horrific chapter! _


	13. Chapter 13

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello people! Greetings from Germany! Here is Phenny! How are you? How have you been? Some of you are warmed by the summer sun… Some of you are cold or wet from the winter rain… Well, deep down we all know what brings us together, even if we are in different countries and continents! And that is our healthy addiction to Bones' fanfictions! Cheerio! Anyway… I see from your reviews that you took the beginning of this horror… achem-achem, sorry, little cough… I meant the previous two chapters… You took it rather well, which is a little disturbing I guess… But believe me, that has lifted a huge weight of my friend's heart! It really makes us happy that you STILL want to read the next chapters and that you all deep down in your hearts hope and pray that the next chapters won't be as horrific as the previous ones. Well, aren't you sweet and naïve? You're cuter than 10 monkeys with 10 puppies! Okay so, here are THREE even MORE torturous and horrific chapters! Be aware when you read them, and again have in the backgrounds of your mind, that: 1) Booth is harder than thousand stones together, he can deal with pain so good that it almost makes him a superhero! 2) These things and even more horrific tortures occur when you are caught by the enemy, and I hope and wish none of you and your loving ones had to go through such hell. 3) It's just a story, really… It's fiction. None of these would ever happen to Booth! Hart's mind is not too sadistic like my friend's! But then again, thinking about all the season 4 finale spoilers that we were teased with… I'm just gonna pretend that he may have thought about Booth's time in war, but he would never make it soooo graphic and horrific, as all the fans would kill him and then kill themselves! Plus, an episode like this would never come on TV! Anyway, long-story short ENJOY!!!

**Disclaimer: **Hahaha, okay I can't say this enough; NOTHING belongs to us! Just the story… And I don't think there are people out there who would want to fight with us about the rights of THIS story! Don't sue us… You will get nothing!!!

Chapter 13

After they had removed Booth`s blindfold, they released his bonds and dragged him into the middle of the room where steely chains hung from the ceiling. They put the heavy iron rings around his wrists and pulled him up until his feet hadn`t any longer contact with the ground; as a result his entire weight distributed on his shoulders and arms. Broken bones rubbed one above the other and unlimited terrible agonies dulled his senses. By closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate and to oust the pains. Nevertheless, a pressed moan escaped from his mouth again. Breathing turned into torture, his own weight pulled him downward. Booth had the metallic taste of his blood on the tongue. -

"Flog him!" the man opposite ordered. Coolly he looked at Booth: "It will be fun, believe me. Well, yes, not for you. Still you can change your mind. But, to be honest, I would love to torture you further." The agent could see in the gaze of the man, it somehow gave great pleasure to be delighted by his suffering. His oppressor went on and on for minutes. Despite his hopeless situation, the agent couldn`t stifle a cynical remark. Choppily he squashed forth: "Do you want me to torture or do you want me gibber to death?" He shouldn`t have done that. -

In order to mete out punishment they used thin electric cables. His body helplessly swung back and forth with each furious blow what yet reinforced his pains. Each powerfully executed stroke shredded his skin. They mainly concentrated on his back until it changed in one single bloody mass. At some point, the FBI agent had stopped to count the hits. It felt like hours. He moved very near on the brink of unconsciousness. However his torturers took care of it that he didn`t loose consciousness; they sprayed him with cold water repeatedly. -

After the leader commanded to stop the flogging, he strolled over to Booth with a pail in his hand and built himself behind the agent. "Well, how does that feel?" he hissed beside Booth`s ear, "and that?" he grasped into the pail and brought forth a mixture from salt and vinegar, rubbing it without pity into the open wounds of Booth. Like pure muriatic acid the mixture etched, itself into his mistreated body and for the first time his scream reverberated through the room, changing into an agonized moan. His body felt like being on fire. The wounds would become badly infected, this time he couldn`t hope for hardly visible scars. -

Suddenly a man hurried in and made an announcement. A scarce instruction of the commander finished his suffering for the moment. They loosen the chains and Booth banged on the ground like a marionette whose threads were cut off. –

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Two men roughly pulled him up. Because he was too weak to hold himself on his legs, they dragged him out of the interrogation room, along a dark hallway. From a distance, he could hear screams. Probably they tortured the other prisoners as well. They threw him into a cell that was so small he couldn`t stretch and so low he couldn`t stand up. -

From somewhere light shone in sparsely. There was nothing in this narrow space but a ground littered with filth and a bucket where he could relieve himself. Shivered with cold and weakness he remained down on the cold ground for the moment. He tucked up his legs like a foetus in the womb, his broken hand pressed against his chest. Gradually the drilling pains wore of, faded away to a dull throbbing. Insects crawled over his feverish body, feasted from his blood, he didn`t have the strength to scare them away. -

The small low room was additional torture for him. The ceiling seemed like crushing him. An oppressive feeling embraced him like a misty shroud. Ever since his father locked him into the tiny storeroom under the stairs for penalty, he suffered from claustrophobia. He was exactly ten years old. His father came home canned as always. "Jared, go down the basement and get me a new bottle of whiskey!" his father commanded his younger brother. "I am scared to go down the basement on my own, Daddy!" answered his 5-year-old brother whiningly. "No Booth is scared of anything!" the big man replied threatening. "It`s okay, Dad. I can go with him or I can get the bottle, Dad!" offered Seeley to protect his baby brother. "No, he goes alone!" his father ordered. –

Of course, Seeley went down to the cellar instead of Jared. "Has Jared gotten the bottle alone, son?" his father asked intimidating. "Yes Sir!" Seeley gave to the answer. "Come here, son! How do you read the 8th commandment?" his father yelled at him. "Thou shall no bear false witness against thy neighbour." Seeley whispered. "Why are you lying to me?" his father reminded him. He pulled roughly around his son with such a force, Seeley`s arm dislocated, beat him with the fist into his face. Blood ran over popped up lips. Brutally he pressed his son over the edge of the table and pulled out his belt from the pants. He beat the living daylights out of him. After that he did something much worse…The little Seeley suppressed his screams of pain while he bit himself into the arm. It would make his old man even more furious. No Booth shows any pain. - He spent almost two days in the small chamber, without water, food or a toilet. His father simply forgot in his full intoxication that he had locked up his son. –

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Nevertheless he accepted his fate because he believed it was God`s will. If he should die, so it should be. He wasn`t scared of dying. But they would let him suffer awfully. If he could establish the balance between his good and bad deeds again through it, that`s how it should be then. Choosing the easy way by telling them what they want, would be too simple. -

Anytime somebody brought a peel of water. Booth crawled over the ground and lifted the flat bowl to his mouth with trembling hands. His throat felt dried up and harsh as if a craftsman had processed it with sandpaper. His broken hand disobeyed. He spilled some drops of the precious wet. It was a muddy sludge; it tasted brackish and was full of sand. Because he didn`t know when he would receive water again for the next time, nevertheless he hastily emptied the peel and threw up half of it again. -

How much time passed by when he heard the key in the door lock, he didn`t know. They dragged him back into the interrogation room. -

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_Sooooo… How did you like it? Can you take more horror? If so, continue reading further… Reviews are welcomed, I mean… Only if you are in some sane state of mind right now… :D_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

In the shortest time they had built makeshift shelters in order, not have to drive into the city and back each day. In one of the tents, Brennan bent over a naked ripped body. The identification of the dead people would have been simpler if the victims had worn their tags. However, the enemy had made very much effort to veil the identity of the corpses. Equally like the tags, the clothing was missing. Therefore, she was depended on medical and dental records. -

It was very sticky in the tent and Bones wiped sweat with the back of hand from her forehead. Her clothes, a lightweight bright coloured cotton blouse and just as light pants made of linen, already stuck to her body. Over her normal clothing, she wore a simple white smock from the base hospital that was already littered with various stains. She had wrapped up her hair to a ponytail again and spared of any jewellery. -

On a shaky table beside her, the laptop was built up enabling her to get access to the data of the soldiers, stationed in the camp. Although she didn`t want to do, she got in contact with Angela. Promptly the artist and Jack had come back into the Jeffersonian in order to help with the identification of the corpses. Brennan sent the data and pictures online via satellite into the Jeffersonian. -

Above all, Angela could give the victims a face again contributing the identification. Of course, there was a heaviness of spirit. Objectively, Brennan had informed her colleagues about what had happened. Nobody could read anything in her face how she felt, she acted coolly and impersonal. But Angela and Jack knew her better and they suspected what she felt inside. They were both very worried. Booth had become a good friend to them and the uncertainty over his whereabouts was hard to take. -

Angela got in touch over the laptop again. "Hi, Sweetie, are there any news of Booth?" she wanted to know. Temperance negated. "A troop of soldiers is on the search of the abductees. They assume that Booth was caught and is somewhere together with the others in a subterranean dungeon," she explained to Angela. "Is this good? This is still good, isn`t it?" Angela asked, "Then he is still alive?" "Yes, sure, no…I don`t know whether it is good or not!" Brennan gave her the answer. "You´ve lost me there." Angela replied. -

"Mendez, you know, the young woman from the group trained by Booth, told me that they probably…" Brennan hesitated, "will torture them. Every further hour passing could be the death of Booth and the others. The civilian population in general is pacific but as you know there are still militant groups and supporters of the old regime and they won`t make no bones about it to use the old torture methods." She saw the shocked expression on Angela`s face and heard Jack sighing in the background. "Did they ever hear something about the Geneva Convention?" he asked. They bolstered and raised hopes. "As soon as I know something new I will contact you. " Brennan hastily said goodbye. Then she cut off the line to the Jeffersonian to concentrate herself on her task again. –

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"Let`s see what creative interrogation methods they still have.", wondered Booth, when he was recklessly pushed on a chair again. He winced as the wounds on his back collided against the back of the chair. This time they only held him solidly and did not put him in chains. Now he posed no danger for them, he could hardly stay on the chair. They asked him the same questions again and again, questions he didn`t want or couldn`t answer. He remained quite. Upon that, they beat him up anew. After every question his head flew from one side to the other, this wasn`t any good for his concussion. The first stars danced before his eyes. -

"You are a damned hard bastard, Booth!" his torturer said with showing respect, "Booth, that`s your name, soldier, isn`t it?" in his hand he held Booth`s bloody ripped shirt and waved it in front of Booth`s face. This time it was a man who admittedly spoke with a strong accent but nevertheless perfect English asking the questions: "You can bear a lot; you are a bloody tough dog!" "You are not the first saying this," the agent thought dazed. "Too bad, that you are on the wrong side, we could use people like you. If you want to change sides…," his torturer added. „You bet! Of course! Of what are you dreaming in the night? I should name myself Ali Baba then." Booth shamelessly gave to answer. He saw how the face of his opposite tarnished into red and a fist landed in his stomach. He chocked and panted. "I should stop provoking him." shot through Booth`s aching skull. -

"Believe me we have methods and ways to make you talk. So far we have still managed to break everyone," his torturer explained convinced. "You are proud of this, huh? I believe you, but you will have a tough time." "Others had already tried before and have miserably failed!" this time Booth omitted to say his thoughts loudly because he didn`t want to provoke him anymore; he would only get more blows. "You know what Booth? I could torture you for months," – almost lovingly he stroked with his hand the instruments of torture lying extended on a table, "but I haven't got forever." -

Neither this examination brought the requested results. Therefore, they put the FBI agent in irons again. In the meantime, his fingers and wrist were swollen; they had effort to put the steely rings around. The chains chafed the thin skin at his wrists and the red liquid wept along his arms. Now they didn`t give him a minute`s rest, they almost continuously tortured him further. They hung him up at his joints during the entire torture, which increased the pains. -

His torturer had ordered attaching wires at especially sensitive body locations. "That would become ugly – and above all painfully." was all Booth could think. After they sprayed him with water that functioned as an excellent conductor, they chased numerous electric shocks through his body. Inexorably they increased the voltages. Pains were extremely agonizing. His muscles convulsed and his body uncontrollably switched. His nerve pathways felt like liquid lava. His pulse increased and his heart raged. Through the convulsions, he bit his tongue bloodily. "Don`t you want to speak with us yet? There is no badge of rank on your clothing, Booth. Who and what you are?" his torturer further questioned him. "I…I have nothing to say." was everything Booth pressed jetted. –

He hardly had enough breath to squash forth the words. Blood drops splashed from his lips. His torturer stepped in front of him and spate hate-filled words towards the agent: "Snipers do not have badge of rank, don`t they?" sadistically he clutched his fingers in Booth`s open wound on the shoulder. Booth grimaced of pain and released the air panting, followed by a mist of blood. It seems like his lung suffered damage. "As I can see you already have been tortured previously, huh? I admire your mental strength, your will," he added. It wasn`t only his will, that kept him alive; also the love fulfilled this function. A man, who has a strong will as well as the ability to love, would never break. -

His oppressor tore his head back and whispered: "Did you change your mind, Booth? No?" No further words got through his chapped lips. His head felt forward on his chest only to be torn in the neck again with the next shock. The whole area smelled of burnt flesh. Burns that would become infected in the next hours covered his body and made the electroshocks even more painful. -

Although he developed chills and fever, they nevertheless continued unmerciful. They still refused him water, food, medical care as well as sleep. More and more frequently, the agent lost consciousness but with cold water and drugs that they inject him, they very quickly got him back again. There was no limit to their imagination. When they had enough of the electroshocks, they heated metal with a blowtorch until it glowed red and pressed it in his flesh or they cut his skin with dirty shard of glass. -

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Marisa entered the tent where Brennan worked on the identification of the corpses. The anthropologist looked alarmed: "Are there any news?" "Oh my God, what are you doing here?" escaped from Marisa. "That has nothing to do with God." Brennan soberly determined. "I digest the remaining tissue of the skull, and then I will install markers so that my colleague can restore the face." Bones gave her to answer while stirring around in a big blue pot, standing on a gas cooker, with a wooden spoon. Because she didn`t have the equipment of the Jeffersonian here, she just had to improvise. -

"That`s truly disgusting!" escaped from Mendez`s mouth and she pressed the hand on her lips. "Why? I can say with proper security that he could not sense anything more. I asked you, whether there are news." repeated Brennan her previous question. "No, I wanted to keep an eye on you if you need something." the answer hollowly emerged behind the reproached hand. "May I ask you a question, Dr. Brennan?" Mendez wanted to know. "Sure, what is it about?" Brennan carefully answered. "I know that you and agent Booth are very close." Marisa hesitantly said. "We are just partners!" Brennan immediately interrupted her. "Okay. Well, so what! Don`t you worry about him?" wanted Marisa to know. "Why? He is sufficiently old enough to take care of himself!" the anthropologist answered sharper than she intended and continued her work. She simply ousted the fact that she could lose her partner. -

Marisa couldn`t stretch of the imagination this woman was so frosty and unapproachable as she pretended to be. In the expression of the FBI agent, she had seen more than they were only partners when he talked about Brennan. The mutual photo also spoke volumes. "I am in fear of his life…he was…he is very popular among the soldiers…" Mendez admitted without hesitation. Brennan`s face remained indifferent, she hid her true feelings behind a facade of professionalism and aloofness. Thereby she had been so relieved and happy when Booth wasn`t among the dead. Out of fear and worry, she had become sick as Marisa told her that they probably torture the prisoners. She wouldn`t admit it freely. -

This time Brennan asked a question and directly looked into Marisa's eyes. "Have you slept with him? I mean, I could understand it... here in the loneliness…and he is a markedly well-done specimen of his species. He is a genetically excellent match," the anthropologist added. "What? What the hell are you talking about? I don`t get your drift!" Marisa answered bewildered, she hadn`t expected this question at all. But it also confirmed her assumption that there existed more than a partnership between those two. Brennan repeated her question with emphasis: "I asked you whether you and Booth had sex." "No, of course not…aside from the fact that it is not allowed, he is…no offense…too old for me. I respect him and I like him but more like an older brother, do you understand? Even an attractive older brother." Mendez indicated Brennan. -

That settled the matter for Bones; she turned around and concentrated herself on the skull again. "Still need something Dr. Brennan?" Marisa asked concluding. "No, if I need something, I get in touch with you, you can assure that," replied Brennan distracted. She even wondered herself why she had asked this question! Booth wasn`t her property only because they slept together once. So far he had not told her that he loves her, pretty much as she didn`t told him. - Mendez left the tent still bewildered. -

_Still reading it? God, you ARE strong! Indeed! Continue if you want to discover more horrific methods of torture! And review, if you feel like it!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Booth confused consciousness told him: "Judgement from above had to feel like this. Now I have to pay the bill for what I have done. I should atone for it with each fibre of my body. Bones would have dismissed as irrational something similar like "judgement from above". - I have served. I have killed the enemy. I am a prisoner. – That`s the price I have to pay."- The agent didn`t know how long they already tormented him. The room was windowless and he had lost track of time. Whether it was day or night, he couldn`t say. Hours, days, weeks…it had became insignificant. The agent went to hell and back, pains without ending. -

His mind escaped in delirious. "Seeley? Can you hear me?" Brennan`s voice was calling him. "Hm?" he absently answered. "Seeley!" again he was called. His eyes laboriously opened and Temperance was standing in front of him with her beautiful well-structured features and sparkling blue eyes. He could see the smooth bow of her neck, the body he had touched…he could smell the scent of her auburn hair. "Bones, what you are doing here? You are not real, are you? That must be the stuff they injected." - "Come Seeley! Give me your hand!" - "I, I can`t, I am chained up, you see?" - "You can, if you want!" she held out to him her hand. He seized the proffered hand and let her carry him off to a place without torture and pain, only love and caring. Brightly she smiled at him, took him into her arms and kissed him tenderly. "I love you!" he heard her saying. "I love you, too!" he answered her. –

Because of Temperance he didn`t lose his sanity; she also gave him the necessarily strength for surviving. They could break his body but they will never manage to break his will. His mind engulfed once again in the endless darkness. However, his path of suffering had not finished yet. How should he know that the worst humiliation was still in store for him? -

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Brennan was terribly tired and worn out. Once again she had worked too long without pause, but there was simply too much to do and time presses. Despite the circumstances, her stomach growled loudly. She was starving. Brennan hit the road to get something edible. As she went along the destroyed street, she suddenly saw a glitter in the sinking sun. Curiously, she rushed on to it. In the sand laid a medallion on a ripped necklace. -

A medallion she would have recognized under all medallions. Booth`s St. Christopher medallion. She bent down and picked it up. Firmly she closed her hand around it and pressed it against her heart. Only then, she noticed the auburn spots, dried blood that had trickled away in the sand. The medallion was covered with fine blood dashes, too. Certainly Booth didn`t parted of this non-voluntary. She became sick and the hunger was forgotten. As fast as she could, she fled into her housing and dropped herself on her bed. For the first time since she came here she wept freely. She crouched herself on the bed together, her hand still wrapped around the medallion, crying until exhaustion took over, throwing her into a fitful sleep. -

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Booth regained consciousness. The room was quiet and empty; they left him alone, still chained up. In order that his whole weight didn`t hang at his arms, he struggled to his feet. Graciously they had lowered him, that his feet had contact with the ground. Through clenched teeth, he sucked in the air, panting. He groaned of the excruciating pains that ranted and raved through his torso. With every breath, a fine fog of blood moistened his lips, repeatedly. He wondered how long his weakened body would survive these miseries until death yank him in eternal dark. Death would be salvation. He could feel it already, it wouldn't t be long until his body would give up his functions. -

Doubts spread out, whether anybody would get him out here in time, but still remained a gleam of hope. He didn`t give up. Once again, the comforting picture of Brennan showed up before his eyes. How gladly would he be to take her in his arms again, kiss her…. He had wasted the opportunity to tell her about his feelings for her and probably he wouldn`t have a chance to make good for it. -

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A short time later, the search party came back with the first good news for days: They had localized the camp of the rebels with the subterranean prisons. Yet in this night, they wanted to undertake an attempt of rescue. Every hour counted for the prisoners. -

Marisa bent over Dr. Brennan and shook her softly. She heard Brennan speaking in her sleep, however she couldn`t understand what she said but it seemed to be no pleasant dreams. Brennan`s hair was tousled and her khaki blouse and pants were crumpled, she had tossed and turned in her sleep. Marisa saw she had been weeping. Tears had left tracks on her skin, she looked pale and unhealthy. Frantically she held a necklace in her hand. -

It lasted a while in order to awake the anthropologist. With a quiet scream, she awaked with a start, when she sensed a touch at her arm. Troubled by nightmares, her rest wasn`t relaxing and she felt like she was broken on the wheel. Once again, she had dreamt of Booth. "Booth?!" What`s, what`s up?" Brennan asked still drowsy. "It`s me Dr. Brennan. There is good news. We have found out where they held captive. An armed troop will leave in a short time to undertake an attempt of rescue." Marisa informed her quickly. She withheld the order of killing all of them if there wasn`t a possibility to free them. -

"I`m coming with you!" Bones voice tolerated not contradiction. "This just isn`t on, Dr. Brennan, you are civilian, listen to reason!" Marisa lectured her. "Take me to your leader!" Brennan ordered keenly. Mendez rolled with her eyes; she had no other choice but to bring Brennan to her superior, who naturally wasn`t enthusiastic about her suggestion. "Look, Dr. Brennan, it`s too dangerous, I can`t allow this. I am responsible for you." he turned Brennan down point-black. "I am imperilled every day, when I work with my partner in the field. I had identified corpses in mass graves in countries where civil war prevailed. I have been exposed to all possible dangers in all possible countries. I was on my own. Damn it! I can watch my back myself!" she snapped annoyed at the commander. Brennan, a strong and independent woman, could be very stubbornly, she couldn`t stand it when somebody made the rules for her. -

Reluctantly they cave in to her. She received a camouflage-coloured battle dress as well as a protection vest. After a noisy quarrel, she even got a gun. "Look out that you don`t pop one of my people!" she was rebuked. "I am a very good shooter!" Temperance returned furious. "I quite believe it. You stay in the background until we saved the terrain. Is that understood?" the leader wanted to know. "Of course! You have hollered loudly enough! I am not deaf!" Brennan angrily barked back. -

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As the door opened again, Booth lifted his head painstaking. A beefy coarse fellow entered the room and strolled across him leisurely. Booth flinched disgusted when big rough and callous hands stroke over his mistreated body and lingered searching on the forefront of his underpants for a whole while. He suspected what they would do to him now. His brown eyes widened. He panicked and he unsuccessfully tore at his chains. Fresh blood ran along his arms. Apparently, they necessarily needed the horror of their victim. A murder didn`t sufficiently procure them satisfaction, it had to be total abasement and humiliation. In thoughts, he begged God: "No, please spare me." -

The giant sadistically laughed and exposed a row of decayed teeth. Speaking, he blew his bad breath into Booth`s face. In halting English, he whispered aroused: "We will have much fun together!" Next he put a dirty rag into Booth`s mouth and fixed it with a band of cloth. The FBI agent choked. His foggy mind told him to suppress the nausea if he didn`t want to suffocate of his vomit. Crusted blood in his nose made breathing almost impossibly. Desperately he tried to stifle the panic and bring his body as well as his respiration under control again. He only fairly succeeded under these circumstances. -

His body stiffened when his torturer tampered with his boxers. Scraps of thoughts raged through his dulled consciousness: "…relaxing…fewer pain…fewer injuries…" As the human monster brutally penetrated him, it felt like a hot poker was being driven through his abdomen up to the brain. The gag prevented him from screaming; only a few muffled tones were heard. Booth closed his eyes and opted out his mind. -

Powerful arms embraced his upper body when the human beast cruelly abused him sexually. As a result Booth`s broken ribs were driven by force further into his lung and did serious harm to it. The world sank around the agent. He felt into agony and lost consciousness long ago as the monster came in him grunting and moaning. Blood and sperm ran down his legs. Shots that would bring his rescue he didn`t hear not any longer. -

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_Okay so, the torturous parts are over now! YEEEEY!!! High five with me if you're not choking in tears! And if you feel a little alive after "this", review please... God, I can see the reviews already before my eyes: "Do you want to kill us? Is that what you want? You're psychos! You're sadistic little pigs and we all hate you so much right now!" Hahaha, ooooh, I would love that kind of reviews! Keep them coming!_


	16. Chapter 16

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello my lovely and naughty penguins! How are you? Boy, you took the previous chapters good! I still can't believe it! I haven't spoke to my friend since yesterday evening, when I told her about your great reviews! And she was like "Pfff... That was only the beginning of the torture! That was nothing! Beware... You'll see... When they read further"... But... I mean, your reviews about the previous three chapters... Like, WOW! I definitely did not see that coming! You've been sooooo nice and patient with these, and I mean... It IS a big thing to get through the torturous chapters! That is why I uploaded all three at once... Now that is done, I believe you deserve two more chapters! NO MORE TORTURE! But a little drama as always! And also, a little **comment on Jen's review**, as I have no other way to answer her: I'm glad you like the story! No, English is not my friend's language. She is from Germany, and she wrote this story like a year ago; first in German and then translated in English. Thanks for the BETA-advice, I will keep that in mind for her next story :D Ooooh, you all are so gonna love the next story... B&B all the way, drama... Drug dealers.... Terrorist-organisations... Kidnappers... And lots of B&B sweet and cheesy, hot and steamy, rough and animalistic.. well, you know... Satisfaction of biological urges... And all of these somewhere in South America... Just GORGEOUS! ENJOY!!! And keep that smile, people!!!

Chapter 16

The sickening sight, that presented to her burned into her memory forever. Marisa yelled disgusted: "You pig!" Before she could pull the trigger of her weapon, a shot felt already. Brennan did it, she directly shot a bullet between the eyes of Booth`s punisher. "Oh my God, get him down immediately!" squeezed Mendez forth her hand went to her mouth, before she chokingly vomited into a corner. Bones stood paralyzed of horror with blank shock-widened eyes, the arm with the weapon hung useless at her body. Her brain couldn`t accept the images she saw. Somebody yelled for the paramedics. -

Two soldiers loosen the chains from Booth`s wrists and carefully slipped him to the blood sprayed floor. Marisa crouched beside him and removed the gag from his mouth. "Sir, can you hear me? Stay with us, Sir!" she tonelessly pushed out. Booth`s eyes were closed. With each laborious breath, frothy blood sprayed over his ripped lips and ran down the corner of his mouth. He was deader than alive. -

Naked horror was written in Brennan`s face, she was pale as a corpse. During the course of the years, she already had seen many things – but this here was Booth. Her Booth, her partner, her friend, her lover… She felt to her knees and bent over her dangerously injured partner. The world around her was forgotten, there were only Booth and her. Softly she stroked his hot but pale face and lifted his head gently in order to embed him into her lap. "Seeley, I am here, can you hear me?" she whispered quietly, her throat was tied up. She embraced his slack uninjured hand. -

Her partner breathed in whistling and breathed out rattling. Arduously on the tightrope of his consciousness balancing over a bottomless abyss, Booth blinked and opened his eyes. In his glazed brown eyes, she saw all the pain and horror that he had undergone. His normally sparkling, laughing, teasing gaze was feverish covered. He was looking for hers, his eyes pleading her to save him. He didn`t know whether he hallucinated or whether his Bones was truly here. Painfully he clutched Brennan`s hand. Repeatedly his smashed body was shaken by the pain and twitched. His bloody lips trembled. "Temperance" it was only a breeze. A brief unsuccessfully smile flashed over his sallow face. "I…I...." was everything he brought forth. -

"Don`t speak, Seeley! Hang in there! Help will arrive!" Brennan tried to calm him down. All what she knew was that she had to keep him conscious. He took in a breath and wanted to end his sentence, ending it with his last gasp, saying what he always wanted to tell her. But a paroxysmal cough attack jarred his broken body. He almost suffocated on his own blood. The red liquid sprayed in Brennan`s face and on her clothes. She saw the light fading in his eyes; once again, his body rose, then his eyes started to close. Heavily his head felt to the side. -

Temperance frantically yelled: "Noooooooo! Breath Seeley, damn it! Keep breathing! Come on Seeley, stay with me. You…you said, you will never leave me. Have you forgotten that? Damn Seeley, you can`t leave me alone!" she shook him and pressed him against her chest. "Keep breathing! Hear me, he can`t breathe! Where are the damned paramedics?" screamed the anthropologist, first inevitable tears began to flow down her cheeks. Her hand reached for his wrist. No pulse, no respiration. His heart already beat irregular, like a stuttering motor. She couldn`t watch him die. If she didn`t act fast, she would lose him forever. -

Sensing a movement at her side, she saw Marisa kneeling beside her. The eyes of the two different women met. Almost synchronized they began to revive the FBI agent. Brennan breathed for her partner. The taste of Booth`s blood was on her lips when she blew her breath into his lungs. Meanwhile Marisa pushed evenly her hands on the left side, where his heart had gotten out of step, to bring it back into the right rhythm again. It felt like an eternity for Temperance although it hadn`t even passed a minute. –

"We take over now, Ma`am! Ma`am, you need to move away and let us treat him. Ma`am!" she heard an unfamiliar voice. Brennan raised her eyes to a young EMT who knelt at her side. "You need to step back now Ma`am, let us take care of him!" he said with gentle voice when their eyes met and at the same time she was pulled to the side. -

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While the paramedics desperately tried to bring Booth back to life again, Brennan`s gaze numbly glided over the mutilated body of her partner. For the first time she saw the dreadful injuries with all clarity. With one view, she could say which of his bones were broken, all the bruises, cuts, burns, welts. Her mind screamed: "I need you Booth! You are my partner, my friend. You are the one I could count on in the last few years. Don`t leave me. You can`t leave me. You can`t be here and gone the next moment." She wouldn`t let him. -

Miraculously they had as far as possible spared his face. Neither cuts nor burns. Dark beard stubbles covered partly the bruises distributed across it, a scratch over the right eyebrow that certainly had fairly swollen because of the blows, crusted blood around his nose and mouth. The wound in the shoulder horribly infected. -

From far away the bandy words of the paramedics sank in. "That is…that…is…disgusting!" the young medical helper in uniform stuttered, kneeling besides Booth on the dirty ground. She got quite pale around the nose. "Pull yourself together! You won`t play out here, otherwise you can pack and go home immediately!" the other paramedic snapped at her. "He`s not breathing!" the third determined. "Okay, I'll intubate!" was given an answer. Quick and experienced he slid the artificial respiration-hose through Booth`s airways. -

Meanwhile the other one continued with the cardiac massage. "Nothing! Come on! You won`t die off here after what you got through!" the first aider muttered. After seemingly infinitely long time Brennan heard the redeeming voice of the helper: "Okay, I got him back! Now he is stable. I need a few infusions. Saline solution in order to balance his fluid depletion, he is rather dehydrated, a sedative, a very strong analgesic, shake your legs! Hurry! He has to go to a hospital as soon as possible," he ordered. Carefully the young soldier stick in the needle of the infusion into Booth`s brachial vein. "Easy, quite... easy. We have to be very careful with him. I assume he has severe internal lesions." Temperance heard one of the men saying, when they put Booth on a stretcher and strapped him. "Does somebody know his blood type? It is possible he will need a blood transfusion!" asked the helper the question. Automatically Bones answered. –

Then they carried her partner to the waiting helicopter. Some of the soldiers standing outside the horror chiselled into the face from so much inhumanity. "I am going with him!" Brennan`s voice was strong and defiant. "I am sorry, ma`am. It`s already too crowded. There are many seriously injured that need the place more urgent in the helicopter," one of the paramedics said. "Where do they take him?" Brennan wanted to know, recent tears ran down her cheeks. Never before she had been so helpless than in this moment, she simply stood and didn`t know what to do. "They will bring him into the nearest military hospital." Marisa told her, "Come with me, Dr. Brennan, I will drive you to the city." The ride was impossibly silent, their minds in a state of shock." -

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_It's getting a little better, I think… __What do you think? Tell me in a review :D_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

In the 1 ½ hours Brennan needed in order to reach the hospital the doctors desperately struggled for Booth`s live. When Bones arrived there, she tried to get information from anybody about the condition of her partner. But they told her, Booth is still in surgery and she has to be patient in the waiting room. A doctor would inform her. Brennan restlessly paced from one side of the small impersonal room to the other: "You can`t die, you won`t die not here and today." Again and again she muttered the words like a mantra. As if she thereby could keep him alive. -

Only until then she noticed dried blood on her hands as well on her clothes. Full of horror she stared on the rust-brown stains, the blood of her partner. As the memory assaulted her senses full force again, she started to shake, although it wasn`t cold in the room, it was an inner chilliness spreading wide in her. She slid down the wall and embraced the knees with her hands. Tears ran down her face again. More tears, more aching sobs. -

A nurse found her in this pitiful condition. "Miss, can I help you?" the small slim Asian with the black hair inquired, "can I do something for you? Should I inform anybody?" Brennan startled, she hadn`t heard anybody coming. "Come with me, Miss, you can wash yourself in the nurses` lounge and I will see whether I can find some clean clothes for you. A coffee will do you good as well. How long do you already waiting here?" the nurse asked full of sympathy. Brennan didn`t corrected the petite nurse just like she would do otherwise. "I, I would like to remain here. My, my partner, Seeley Booth, is still in surgery and I wait for a message," declared Temperance faltering, her voice tiny, like a child. –

"Come along with me, I will see what I can do for you, Miss." Brennan was encouraged, "it will last only a few minutes, then you are back." Reluctantly Bones rose and followed the nurse. When she stood in front of the sink beneath the harsh fluorescent lights, she got a glimpse of how horrible this experience had been. As she looked into the mirror, she was shocked, she almost didn`t recognize herself. Her hair was straggly and stuck from her head tousled, her eyes reddened and swollen. Her tears had mixed with Booth`s blood, that was sprayed on her face and were ran downwards her pale cheeks. She looked awful, like one of the grim Halloween clowns after coming into the rain. "Clowns", she thought bitterly, "Booth is afraid of clowns. Whether he also would be afraid of me?" a hysterical laughter rose from her throat. But it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. -

Quickly she scrubbed away the remains of her partner`s blood and shovelled cold water into her face. When she saw the red streaks vanishing into the drain, she nearly vomited. Just as she drily wiped her face with paper towels, the nurse came back. "Now you are looking much better, but you are still white as a sheet. When have you eaten the last time? Unfortunately, we only have this here…" and handed over to Brennan green scrubs, "however better, than your bloody clothes." "Thanks" was everything her mouth escaped and "Do you have any news of my partner?" "I am afraid not, everything I can tell you is, that he is still in surgery," the nurse answered regretful. -

Washed and changed, Brennan waited further hours. The nurse had brought her a cup of strong black coffee and pressed a vegetarian sandwich into her hand. Although she didn`t believe she could get down a mouthful, she forced herself into it because she didn`t want to faint. -

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"Miss Brennan?" somebody spoke to her all at once. "It`s Doctor. Doctor Brennan", Bones improved automatically this time and turned around. Coolly she scrutinized the tall tired-looking Afro-American man in military clothes. "Beg your pardon, Dr. Brennan. Dr. Med.? The man investigated. "No, Doctor Phil., forensic anthropologist." gave Temperance the answer. "Well, Dr. Brennan, my name is Dr. James Turner. I am the attending physician," the doctor told her. -

"You are a doctor?" Brennan got into it, "in military clothing?" "Yes, I am. Why not?" he lifted his eyebrows astonished. "We are in a military hospital and I am an army doctor in the position of a major, Dr. Brennan. The patient has had…" "The patient", Bones chime in, "has a name: Special Agent Seeley Booth." hissed Brennan. "We work together, he is my partner." She added. It seemed to be important to her. The doctor gave into her: "As far as I`m concerned, if you insist on it. What a difficult woman." he thought to himself. He didn`t envy this Agent Booth, how did he manage to work together with such a problematic woman? "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth had commanded, that you make decisions of medical matters, in the case he isn`t possible to do." he informed Brennan in a calmly tone. -

Temperance made a surprised face. "You didn`t know of it, Dr. Brennan?" asked the doctor astonished. "No, I…I didn`t know it. He…he… is still alive, isn`t he? How…how is he doing, how serious are his injuries?" she carefully inquired. In the way he had looked, his injuries had to be serious, "Yes, he is still with us. Given the fact what lesions he had suffered it is almost a miracle. Please come a long, we will talk in peace." the doctor proposed. He went ahead and Bones followed him into a room at the end of the hallway. After he had offered her a seat, she slowly sat down. -

The physician began with his implementations: "At the moment he is stable, but his condition is still seriously critical. We can`t yet say, whether he will survive the night. We did everything in our power for him, the further lies in God`s hand." Brennan sat like a statue, not capable of any movement, she asked herself: "Who would save him? Could his God save him? Would his God save him?" The doctor continued: "Agent Booth is very much enfeebled by the maltreatments. In addition to this, he suffered of serious internal injuries. Three of his ribs are broken which caused a pneumothorax right," the doctor pointed on a few x-rays that spread out on the table. "The pneumothorax wasn`t the problem at all but the profuse haemorrhage caused by the splintered bones made us several trouble. You know, what that means, Dr. Brennan?" the doctor broached the subject again. -

Temperance tried to concentrate on the words, but her head felt like packed in cotton wool. "Dr. Brennan? Did you understand me? Is everything all right with you?" she heard the doctor anxiously asking like from a further distance. Brennan stared like mesmerized on the x-rays as if she could read Booth`s further fate through it. Tonelessly she produced: "Yes, certainly, the broken ribs have perforated his right lung, causing a collapse of the lung." Her eyes now remained unfocused between the x-rays and the doctor. -

Further details followed: "Agent Booth has given artificial respiration. Furthermore, he has contusions of the kidneys, liver and genitals. Gastric bleeding caused through blunt violence is under control. Rapture can occur in the liver, we have to observe it. A projectile has come through his right scapula and the wound is infectious. The other open wounds, covering his body are also infected. Besides, a substance turning out to be salt and vinegar was rubbed into the wounds on his back. "What? That is inhuman!" Brennan tossed upset. "Dr. Brennan, everything done to Agent Booth contravenes against the Human Rights. I hope that this people are brought to the account. I already have seen a lot terrible things since I do my job here but that is one of the worst I have ever seen." added the doctor obviously shocked. -

"I can tell you by now, that these wounds will heal badly and he will retain some unpleasant scars. We do everything we can. A concussion was caused through the head injury, the wound required stitches. All five fingers of his left hand are broken several times as well as the wrist. We have adjusted and splinted the fingers and the wrist; whether he will keep permanent damage is not known to us yet. Otherwise, his entire body shows bruises, cuts and burns. The electric shocks should not have caused further damages besides the marks of electricity. However, we only can say with determination, when he received consciousness again. The rape has caused fissures and bleedings." the doctor supplemented. -

"Have you run a HIV test?" broached Bones the subject again. "Of course, but we will get the results earliest in a few days. Intravenously we administer him saline solution against dehydration, antibiotics against the infections and Fentanyl against the pains." the doctor informed her completing. In the meantime, Brennan had paled again; she was like paralyzed. -

"Can I see him?" she inquired with a quiet voice. "Of course, it is possible he can hear you when you speak with him. It will calm him down if he knows that you are here. But do not expect an answer, we steadied him and his is still given artificial respiration." the doctor answered her. "Thank you, Doctor Turner. As soon as he is transportable, I wish that he is flown to Washington and if I have to bear the costs," demanded Brennan certain. "But, Ma`am, Dr. Brennan…" the doctor threw in. Brennan abandoned the doctor and hit the road to Booth`s room. -

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_Don't you worry about a thing, my little penguins… Booth will be just fine… :D I promised you! And I always keep my promises! :D Also, thank you Mac for the review! I just saw your email! Prepare yourself for a happy ending in two chapters from now :D_


	18. Chapter 18

**Friend of the author's note: **Hey people! I'm really sorry, but I had no time until now! And for me "now" is after 4 am. I didn't even have time to answer your reviews, as I always do before I upload a chapter. I just was accepted to another university (and I AM THRILLED), and I have to do many things there, and to move out etc... So, the next days will be pretty crazy and wild. I am uploading only one chapter. I don't know when exactly I will upload the next and last chapter, as my friend will do some rewriting etc. But I promise you, you won't have to wait long... A couple of days maybe, if that's okay... I think someone asked me why I am calling you my little penguins... My dad calls me that, I just translated it in English and adopted, I guess... Maybe it makes no sense, I don't know... I'm very tired now to think properly... **Disclaimer: **Nothing-Nothing-Nothing! Absolutely nothing belongs to us! Nichts! Nada! TIPOTA! Aside this story of course...

Chapter 18

Temperance headed down the hall, stopping at the terminal of the station unit to get the room number and directions. She followed the long sterile and uncomfortable hallway on the quiet intensive care unit until she found the right room. With trembling legs and a big lump in her throat, she stood in front of the door. She didn`t know how to respond, how to react. As she was a person, even controlling and taking everything in hand on her own, it was hard for her to accept that she couldn`t do anything for Booth, besides waiting. Furthermore, it involved her partner, who had become more than a partner for her. Her normally rational mind neutralized and her heart adopted automatically the leadership. Booth once taught her to think with her heart instead of her head, taught her to live life and feel. Her lifeline for the last few years, someone she had learned to care about so much lay preciously close to death. Once again, she took a deep breath, loudly hearing her own heartbeat in her ears. –

Without knocking, she slowly pushed the handle and opened the door. Uncertainly she stopped at the entry of the room. Except of a bedside lamp, that radiated a warm light and the colourful illuminations of the medical appliances, the small room was gloomily. "You must be Dr. Brennan, do come in, I am immediately ready." a blonde nurse spoke to her, checking on Booth`s vital functions and writing into a list on a clipboard. -

Timidly Brennan entered the room, she wasn`t able to move. She forced herself to walk those last few steps. In the midst of life-sustaining machines lay the lifeless body of the FBI agent. The shape on the bed hardly had any similarity, with the man she learned to know so well. He looked small and fragile, not the strong personality he always was. Once again, her view glided over his mistreated body. He was cut, bruised, broken and stitched. The pale face with the hollow cheeks made not much of a difference to the pillow on which his head lay. Only the dark hair formed a sharp contrast. Weren`t the haematoma and the respiration tubes extending from his mouth, someone would have been able to think, he would peacefully sleep. However, he didn`t breathe of his own and he slept against his will. –

His bare upper body was covered with bandages and compresses. A thin blanket lay extended his abdomen to cover his nakedness. He was connected to an ECG; she heard the rhythmic chirping of the heart-monitor and the monotonous sound of the respirator. A cuff for checking his blood pressure lay around his right upper arm. The appliances were the only thing showing her, the agent was still alive. Numerous hoses led into and out of his body. IV lines that pumped analgesic, antibiotics and blood into his body, led into his veins. -

Quietly she stepped at his side and softly kissed him on the forehead. She pulled up a chair to the bed and sat down. Brennan hesitantly took Booth`s limp uninjured hand into hers and cautiously wrapped her fingers around, he didn`t return her grasp. Against her expectation, the hand felt warmly and lively. -

"I am…I am so sorry for you. I…I don`t know if you can hear me", she hesitantly began, "I am not good in this, you know. Bones are the only thing I can communicate with. You have to fight, Booth, you have to live. Parker needs you!" she reluctantly added, "I need you. I help you stand this. The last weeks without you, were the hell for me. Okay, not to compare with the hell you had gone through. I realised how much you mean to me. How much of an impact you have made to my life. You made a promise you always be here for me... I will be here for you. I…I need you to know, I love you Seeley Booth." she whispered quietly, "I never believed in love until I met you. I recognized, I want to spend all my time with you and it hurts when you weren`t here." It was terrifying for her but it was simple the truth. She couldn`t remember when it happened. A life without him was inconceivable for her. - Not the smallest movement showed her whether he could hear her. -

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Anytime later, she left the room shortly to call Angela. "Brennan, God thanks. We already worried about you, you were neither attainable over the laptop nor the cell phone, that is uncommon for you. What has happened?" Angela asked excited. "Booth. They have freed Booth and the others, he is alive, but…" she told the artist, she had almost to scream because of the bad connection. "Booth…freed…alive." she heard Angela saying. "Ange, listen to me, Ange please…" now she yelled into the receiver. "Yes, Bren, that is a good message, when do you come home?" Angela wanted to know. -

"Ange, he is…he…it is horrible. I am in the hospital…" and then the words spouted out from her and she sobbingly told what she knew about Booth`s condition. Temperance opened her heart to her best friend, she told her about her feelings and fears. This type of pain wasn`t familiar to her, it cut through her heart like a sharp knife. It frightened her to death. She heard the horror from Angela`s voice and the commentaries of the others in the background. Only then, she realized that the artist had switched the loudspeaker and the others had been aware of her outburst, which was embarrassing for her. Hastily she finished the conversation with Angela`s comforting words in the ear: "It`s okay, Sweetie…He`ll be okay...he is strong and he will make it…If you want me to come, I`ll take the next flight…". -

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Quickly she hastened back into Booth`s room. Bitterly, she thought: "You have no idea, you haven`t seen him." On her way, back she asked a nurse for a catholic priest. Her partner was catholic and Bones once googled about his religion in detail. On the pages, she read about asking for a priest when someone was on deathbed. At the moment it looked like Booth wouldn`t survive the night, therefore she saw fit to take care of a spiritual assistance even if she didn`t believe in God. –

A short time later, after Temperance had extended the thin blanket over Booth`s unmoving body, she sat down at his bed again, held his hand and spoke to him. As she perceived a movement, she turned round startled. A man dressed in military clothes and a stole around his neck had entered the room. "Excuse me, I knocked. I am Reverend Miller, the military chaplain, you send for me." the man calmly introduced himself. "Yes, of course, come in. I am not at home in that subject, but Agent Booth, it is his religion and he is very religious and I thought…" Brennan answered embarrassed. -

"Never mind, come on, we can pray for him together." requested the priest. "I don`t believe in any God or divine power. It is irrationally…" she felt silent, it didn`t belong to her to lecture the priest. Without going into it, he stepped at the one side of Booth`s bed and began to pray quietly, thereby he fulfilled some actions, she had no use for it. Silently she went back to her hard chair and observed the events sceptically. -

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Bones slept on the uncomfortable chair with her head on her partner`s bed and still held his hand in hers. Suddenly she awaked with a start. In the first moment she didn`t know where she was and what had awakened her. Abruptly the memory hit her. – She was in hospital – with Booth – he was dangerously injured. -

The sound awakened her was Booth`s heart-monitor, an annoying beep came from it. She saw the irregular course of the heart sounds. The door already flung open and the night nurse hurried in, followed by several persons. They rudely pushed Bones out of the way. Livid with shock she stopped in a corner of the room. Various voices talked over each other: "His blood pressure rapidly sinks. – Internal bleedings. – We have to stabilize him! – Prepare for surgery! – No pulse. – Ventricular fibrillation! – Defibrillator! Hurry up! " –

Like observing the scene from another level, Temperance watched the hustle and bustle of the doctors and nurses. They pulled down the blanket from Booth`s body. "We start with 360 joules!" the doctor instructed, "load and away!" He placed the paddles on Booth`s chest in order to shock him. The power surge chased through the body of her partner and rose it up. "Nothing! Manual cardiac massage! Okay! Again! Go to 400 joules. Load and away!" the doctor yelled. Again his body rose up but the ventricular fibrillation remained. The sound of the heart monitor became even more piercing. The line flattened more and more. -

"No! No!" hammered in Brennan`s head. "Booth, you can`t die!" "Still nothing, we will loose him. Increase again! And away!" she heard the doctor. They shocked him once again and then his heartbeat came back into rhythmic contractions. "Okay, he is with us again, bring him into surgery!" the doctor ordered. Temperance stayed back alone when they hastily deferred Booth, leaving her in shock and silence. Leaving her in pain, heartache and uncertain… Again, she slid down the wall until she sat on the ground. She palmed her face and sobbed. Another round of tears escaped her red-rimmed eyes. She didn`t know how long she endured in this condition until her partner was pushed back into the room. Like through cotton wool she heard the doctor saying, they admittedly could stop the renewed bleeding but he had fallen into a coma because of circulatory failure. -

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	19. Chapter 19

**Friend of the author's note: **Hello my little penguins! How are you today? I hope you are wonderful! It's past 2 am here, and I've decided to do a break from all the packing and cleaning etc. I will answer your reviews afterwards. Well, what can I say... We have finally reached the end of our journey... This is the last chapter and my friend and I hope you will like it. I personally want to thank all of you, who read the story! You made my friend very happy! And when she is happy, I am happier! So, bless you all! Hopefully our paths will cross again in some other story, or maybe a forum... Who knows... Be happy and joyful every single day! Have a wonderful life! ENJOY!!! :D

**Disclaimer: **no... still nothing... Nothing! Hahaha!!! :D

Chapter 19

The FBI agent survived the night and also the nights afterwards. His condition ameliorated from day to day, but he didn`t recover consciousness. No one of the doctors could answer Temperance`s question whether and when he would awake from the coma. In the first days they tried to persuade her to fly home but she didn`t want to hear about it. Day and night Brennan remained at his side she wanted to be there when he awakened. She should be the first he saw, she had promised him to be here. She wouldn`t give up on him. He would never do that to her. There was so much she had to tell him. –

Another night Bones slept on the uncomfortable chair with her head on his bed and his hand in hers. Later they put an additional bad in the small room. From the kitchen of the hospital, she was provided with meals. Marisa brought her tidy clothes and some books, her laptop and everything she needed. The only time she left Booth`s room for a short while was when she took a shower in the changing room of the nurses. –

In order not being bored she made herself useful, she helped the nurses supplying her partner`s wounds, washing and shaving him. The nurses gratefully accepted Bones help. Brennan also induced that Booth`s medallion received a new necklace. Now it was on the place again, where it belonged, on the chest of her partner. Almost continuously, she spoke with him, told him what had just occurred or read him from books. Every night before Temperance hit the sack, she moved her bed as near as his bedside to hold his hand. -

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As soon as Booth was transportable, Brennan had let him fly into a hospital in Washington. Still on the airfield, she shortly informed Angela: "I am home again." "Oh, okay, Sweetie. Good to hear. What`s with Booth? Is he still there?" Angela wanted to know. "No, he is with me. I brought him home. We are on the way to hospital." Brennan answered with a tired voice. "He is still in a coma, huh?" Angela asked with caution. "Yes, his condition didn`t change. It is awful to see him like that." Brennan rasped. "I am so sorry Bren. I will see you at the hospital…I am already on my way." Angela said and cut the line. - Her partner hadn`t to share a room with somebody, Temperance had taken care of it. She also arranged, the best specialists taking care of him. -

Here, too, she didn`t hover over his side. Always, he should feel she was with him. She firmly believed he could sense her. Slowly his physical wounds healed, the broken bones began to grow together again and the bruises had faded. But he didn`t wake up. Overall Bones was already three long weeks at his bed, day and night, waiting for twitching of his fingers or fluttering of his eyelids. Only the steady lifting and lowering of his chest showed her, he was still alive. -

They often received visitors, of course. Always anyone of the squint squad kept them company. They kept her up-to-date with what had happened at the laboratory and outside, when Brennan needed a change Angela or one of the others sat at the bed of her friend. At the beginning, all of them were shocked but in the meantime, they had gotten used to the new situation. -

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At first everything his mind gained, foggy from pain and medications, was a confusing chaos of dull murmur. Repeatedly he was pushed back into the absolute dark, despite the strong analgesics that flowed through his veins, the pains galloped like horses that became wild through his body. Later the monotonous murmur became words and scraps of sentences. -

In the meantime, the scraps of sentences formed into a meaningful sentence for him. Consciously he could distinguish the voices of Angela, Parker and the others. Above all it was Temperance`s voice, that was present the whole time. He heard her speaking and he understood the sense of her words. He sensed her hand, her touches. But he didn`t managed to break out from the tough darkness that envelops him. Not yet. –

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Angela entered the room, kissed the agent on the cheek and let rip with her Angela typical manner: "Hey Booth, I have brought you some flowers, I hope you like them. It is now almost mid-January, you should finally wake up. We still have a Christmas gift for you. Look that you eventually move your lazy bones. You know whom I also brought to you, Booth? It`s Parker!" -

"Hi Daddy, do you know what I have done today? I was at the cinema with Angela and Dr. Jack. In a movie called "Madagascar", they had speaking animals…. It was very funny. Mostly I liked the lion and the penguins…" Parker babbled and climbed on the bed of his motionlessly lying father. At the beginning it was difficult for the boy to understand, that his Dad couldn`t speak to him. Again and again he asked, when his father would wake up or why he didn`t wake up. Softly Brennan declared him everything, according to his lights and so far as she could take responsibility for. Temperance hadn`t agreed, allowing Parker to see his father, before the wounds did not look any longer so awful. Now he coped with the situation rather well. "Please Daddy, wake up…I miss you so." begged the little boy -

Of course, also Booth`s Boss occasionally showed up, in order to ask about the condition of his agent. At the beginning, Brennan had been angry with him because she blamed him for what had happened. But later her rational mind recognized that it wasn`t right. "Dr. Brennan, good morning." Cullen greeted her as he quietly entered the room. "Good morning, Deputy Director Cullen." she replied. He looked like he aged in the last couple of weeks. He walked with a stoop and his dark eyes full of grief. -

"How is he doing?" Cullen asked hesitantly. "Unchanged. The doctors can`t tell me anything new. With the test they got nowhere…we have to wait and see…" Brennan declared. "I…I feel responsible for it, I shouldn`t have allowed him to leave. I should have opposed." Cullen answered pained. "No, Sir, you are not responsible for it. It was his free decision to go and if, you have to blame this Davies and the Pentagon for it." Brennan answered him. -

Even Sweets kept them company, what however was rather uncomfortable for Bones because it always seemed to her, he was able to look directly into her soul and knew her most secret feelings. -

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Brennan used the time in order to work on her new book. Just that moment her fingers hammered like drumsticks on the keyboard of her laptop. When she had finished the paragraph, she loudly read it to Booth as always. She noticed a movement in the corner of her eye. She believed, Booth`s hand, laying on the blanket besides his body, would have moved but of course, she also could delude herself. Quickly she jumped up and hurried to his side. -

"Booth? Booth, can you hear me, are you awake?" she asked in hope. When his eyelids fluttered, she would have almost yelled of joy. Seconds later, she looked into the awake, smooth chocolate-brown eyes of her partner. "Finally! Booth, you are awake! You have finally wakened up!" she called beside herself. This time, tears of joy ran over her face. Booth, still weak, lifted his hand tenderly, wiping with his thumb away, teardrops from her cheeks. -

With rough voice, he said his first words for weeks: "I love you, Temperance. I wanted to tell you for a long time. – And your book will definitely become a bestseller again," he added with a small smile, more words weren`t necessary. As an answer, Temperance bent down to him and gently kissed his soft lips. Carefully, not overusing his just growing together bones, the FBI agent smoothly pulled her into his arms and passionately replied her kiss. Wrestling for air, they broke away from each other. This was exactly what she had desired for the last several weeks - Booth`s console, his strength, his presence. She sighed eased, the tension was gone: "You know what? That was the only thing I needed for month." Smiling with relieve Brennan pressed the bell-button for the nurse to get the doctor. -

When the doctor entered the room, he stopped under the doorframe. A smile flashed over his face and he quietly closed the door behind him again. To the nurse, who looked at him quizzically, he said:"One moment. We should give them another moment." Brennan had put herself carefully beside Booth on the bed; she cuddled against him as much as it was possible because of his injuries. For a moment, they forgot where they were. As if she and he were the only existing people on the entire universe. Once again, Brennan bent over Booth. While he stroked her hair and back tenderly, she stole his breath again with her passionate kisses. "It took you so long... So long to awaken again. I missed you so badly. I was so scared that you would... I felt so desperate and helpless... so lonely. How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Can you remember what has happened?" all the questions bubbled out of her. –

A shadow pulled over Booth`s face: "Yes, I am remembering exactly each detail." That was true he remembered more than he would want to remember. The agent pressed Brennan so firm against himself, as his condition allowed it. He needed her closeness; he had to smell her, to touch her, to sense her in order to know that he was still alive. When he looked into her blue eyes, he admitted with breathy voice: "You... I only kept thinking of you... You have prevented me for becoming insane because of all the terrible pains. The memory of you kept me alive. You have saved me." "It`s over Booth and I promise, I will be there for you. I won't leave you. We will get through this together", she replied moved with teary eyes, while she followed the lines of his lips with her fingers. His smile said more than thousand words. "Kiss me again" he asked her. Willingly she did what he begged her. –

Only when they heard somebody clearing his throat from the door, they released from each other. The doctor stepped to Booth`s bed: "Agent Booth, welcome back! How do you feel, are you in pain?" "I am feeling good, only a few pains..." Booth answered truthfully. "Very well, we will keep you here for another couple of days..." "When can I take him home? When can I sleep with him?" interrupted Brennan the doctor. "Bones!" said Booth lightly flushed and cleared his throat bashfully. "What? We both have urgent biological needs and it`s been months since..." came it over her lips freely. –

The doctor smiled broadly, he learned to know Dr. Brennan very good during the last few weeks, she didn`t mince matters. Her openness was refreshing. "Well, to answer your first question - I think we can release him end of next week, to answer your second question - at any time. As far as I can remember, this part of his body is fully functional. As long as you consider his shoulder, his ribs and his wrist, there should be no problems. I certainly don't need to explain to you, that there are various positions in order to spare his injuries, Dr. Brennan." with this, he turned around and left the two alone. Bones turned to face him, smiling brightly. "I love you Seeley", she said. "I love you, Temperance" Booth whispered into her ear.

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Booth was back in life again. Sure, he would retain scars, physically and above all psychically. In the nights when he was bothered by dreadful nightmares, when he soaked in sweat, jumped up from the dream, Brennan was always there, embraced him, comforting him. She connected to him physically and emotionally, pressing her body against his, holding him tight to her chest, giving him safety. With her support and professional help, he also would get over it this time, as he already did many times before in his life. It would not be easy. It would be a long and troublesome way he had to go. But this time he wasn`t alone. –

THE END

**Author's note: **This story is dedicated to my angel and manager Phenny. She believed in me, she had never doubts about it and she was the one who made this possible. I love the girl! This story is also dedicated to the Bones Fangirls Rosie, Suu, Colette, Natascha, Vann, Cladra, Szabrina and all the others. Thanks also to my friend BoBo, she inspired me that I began to write. Last but not least, I want to thank ALL OF YOU; ALL OF YOU, for reading the story, even with the grammar mistakes that confused you, surely... Special "Thank you" to those who kept reading it even after all the scenes with torture and violence, which were so graphic; especially to those who normally like fluff and romance, and that was so not in my story... Thank you to those who even made the effort to review it! And thank you to those who were too shy to do so. Thank you to those who even marked this story and/or the author as their favourite. Thank you-Thank you- Thank you! I wish I could find some proper words to show you my appreciation! You have no idea what this whole thing meant to me; your words gave me so much strength! You are wonderful!

Story written by Lucretia, in the year 2008/2009.


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